Paradigm Spirits Co. set to open at budding 100 Kellogg Lane

As a craft distillery prepares to open its new home in London, Ont., 100 Kellogg Lane is quickly fulfilling a promise to become a local destination for just about everything.

Paradigm Spirits Co. will be the newest addition to the entertainment complex with a grand opening set for late October.

On Thursday, the spirit maker offered a preview of what’s to come and shed light on why it chose 100 Kellogg Lane for its first home.

View image in full screen

Co-founder Irma Joeveer says Paradigm Spirits Co. originally planned to set up shop in St. Jacobs, a township just north of Waterloo.

“After a number of visits and tours, we came to realize the potential in 100 Kellogg Lane,” said Joeveer.

Part of that potential involved wanting to belong to something that would make Paradigm Spirits Co. more than just a craft distillery.

“We were looking for an opportunity to create a destination and at 100 Kellogg Lane, the destination was already being created for us.”

Another benefit Joeveer found with the growing entertainment complex was the team spirit among the businesses inside 100 Kellogg Lane.

“We’ve had the opportunity to work extremely closely with the group at Powerhouse Brewing Company, in fact, managing their team now for about a year and learning about their business,” said Joeveer.

“That means that we can do fantastic collaborations, it means that we can share staff, it means that we can share resources — that helps keep our operating costs down and gives us the opportunity to flourish.”

View image in full screen

It’s been a little more than three years since the new owners of the former Kellogg’s property in Old East Village unveiled their vision for a multi-year redevelopment of the site.

Since then, The Factory, Powerhouse Brewing Company and Carfax Canada have been added to a growing list of tenants that’s set to expand next year. It includes retail options, The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, outdoor markets, a boutique hotel and the new home for the London Children’s Museum.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll any many businesses, 100 Kellogg Lane co-manager Martha Leach says they’ve still been able to progress on their multi-year redevelopment.

“We’ve been building and constructing and revitalizing the building kind of under the radar while everyone has been hibernating with COVID,” said Leach.

Paul McLaughlin, who manages the complex with Leach, added that the team aspect Joeveer referred to has led to much of the success 100 Kellogg Lane has seen so far.

“We all are going towards the same vision and that’s the biggest thing here — we just also know it takes time,” said McLaughlin.

“We’re right on that crest… People are really going to start seeing some big changes.”

View image in full screen

Natalie Wakabayashi is the director of culture and entertainment tourism for Tourism London and believes 100 Kellogg Lane has the potential to draw wide attention beyond the Forest City.

“There’s really something for everyone here and they’ve thought through it from start to finish and I think that that’s what’s so unique,” said Wakabayashi.

“This isn’t a number of different businesses just being paired together, it’s a full vision from start to finish and it’s got leaders that are leading the way that really believe in it.”

Ward 4 Coun. Jesse Helmer has represented an area that covers Old East Village for more than half a decade on city council and has lived in the historic neighbourhood for even longer.

Helmer, who also currently serves as London’s deputy mayor, says while the closure of the Kellogg production plant was a devastating loss for the community that saw hundreds of jobs eliminated, the redevelopment has begun to repair the damage.

“It’s a huge property, a really important part of the city and its industrial heritage, and I think (the new owners) have really positioned it to be an amazing location for the future,” said Helmer.

“They got big plans, big ambition and we need to see more of that in London.”