From Real Estate to Rum: Reviving a Montana Distillery

Buying a distressed property is one thing. Buying a distressed distillery is something else entirely.

In this episode of Invst Guru, host Jeff “Fuzzy” Wenzel sits down with Justin Meccia, owner of Hidden Lake Grill & Distillery, to discuss how he acquired one of Montana’s oldest distilleries and is now rebuilding it from the ground up.

Justin shares how he purchased the assets of Whitefish Handcrafted Spirits, inherited award-winning recipes like the orange clove infused rum, and is transitioning the company into a house-of-brands strategy designed to scale beyond Montana. He explains the challenges of operating in a control state, navigating alcohol regulations, and expanding distribution across state lines while maintaining quality and production standards.

The conversation also covers:

• The realities of owning and operating a micro-distillery.

• Why rebranding matters for national distribution?

• Montana’s unique alcohol laws and regulatory hurdles.

• Managing seasonality in a tourist-driven market.

• The opportunity in zero-proof and alcohol-free alternatives.

• Expanding with a food truck and satellite location strategy.

• How crowdfunding supports small business growth?

• What retail investors should consider in hospitality and spirits?

This episode is for founders, operators, hospitality professionals, and investors interested in craft spirits, small business turnarounds, and brand expansion.

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