A New York whiskey destination that helped bring distilling back to Manhattan has closed its visitor center after just five years, with 26 jobs facing elimination later this year. The move comes as other American bourbon producers scale back operations amid softer demand.
Great Jones Distilling Co. has shut its public-facing operation at 686 Broadway in Manhattan’s NoHo neighborhood. The company announced in early October that its visitor center was closed until further notice, ending access to a venue known for whiskey tours, tastings, dining and cocktails.
26 jobs are scheduled to be cut in December
A notice posted by the New York State Department of Labor on October 2 lists a permanent site closure affecting 26 employees. The planned effective date for the job losses is December 7, 2026, and the reason listed is economic.
The public visitor center has already closed, but the December layoffs are still scheduled for the future. Great Jones’ parent company, Proximo Spirits, told Inc. that the decision followed a review of beverage-industry trends, market conditions and its overall business strategy.
The company said Great Jones whiskey will continue to be available online and at select retailers, alongside products from its Black Dirt Distillery brand. It has not specified what will happen to distilling operations or equipment at the Manhattan address.
A landmark whiskey destination since 2021
Great Jones opened in August 2021 and was billed as Manhattan’s first legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition. The project took years to complete, with a custom-built still and a 28,000-square-foot space that mixed production with an unusually elaborate visitor experience.
Guests could see a working whiskey distillery, take guided tours, sample bourbon and rye, visit a restaurant or stop by an underground speakeasy. The business promoted its connection to New York agriculture, using grain from the Black Dirt region in the Hudson Valley.
Proximo Spirits, which also owns brands including Jose Cuervo and 1800 Tequila, developed the Manhattan attraction as a showcase for locally made whiskey. Its closure removes a distinctive stop from the city’s food-and-drink scene, even though the whiskey label itself is continuing.
Whiskey makers face a difficult market
The shutdown arrives amid a broader slowdown in spirits sales. Figures from the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association cited by Inc. show that spirits dollar sales in the 18 U.S. control territories it tracks fell 5.5% in August from a year earlier. American whiskey sales in those markets declined 6.8% by value.
Distillery tours and tasting rooms can provide another way for spirits businesses to reach customers, but they also require staff, space and operating expenses beyond making and distributing bottles. For Great Jones visitors, that experience is now unavailable; for the employees covered by the state notice, the scheduled job cuts are still ahead.
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