One of New Jersey’s more popular distillery spaces and venues will be closing its doors later this month as Corgi Distillery will be ending its Jersey City operations after many years of raising their profile.
In an Instagram post late last night, the business announced that they will be ending their run at 1 Distillery Drive. While Corgi’s statement on the closing lacked specifics in terms of why the decision was made, the shuttering appears to have stemmed from a lease dispute.
“We have been informed by our landlord that our lease will not be extended, and as a result, have made the very difficult decision to close our doors at the end of calendar year 2023,” the post wrote.
Jersey Digs was granted a sneak peek at the distillery way back in 2017 before they even launched the pioneering business in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood. Their “industrial meets British parlor” vibe won over many during their run, as their Earl Gray Gin became a favorite in the area.
In terms of the immediate future, Corgi will be offering 25% off on all merchandise and bottle sales “while supplies last.” The company did not clarify as to whether they could be soldiering on elsewhere but left the door open to future distillery operations.
“While this chapter is coming to an end, we hold hope that the Corgi Spirits story will continue, possibly in another form, at some point down the road,” their statement read.
Corgi was a trailblazer for this formerly industrial section of Bergen-Lafayette, with their space situated along the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail not far from Berry Lane Park. The distillery was followed by 902 Brewing Company’s tap room and brewing facility in 2020 and sparked interest and visitors to an area that perhaps was overlooked at the time.
The distillery’s closing comes as various redevelopments are planned for the surrounding vacant lots just south of Corgi’s property, although few of the major proposals have made publicly tangible progress in recent years.
Corgi Distillery will be operating their regular business hours through Saturday, December 30 and will be throwing a special farewell event on their last day. The company’s Jersey City swan song promises discounts on cocktails, bottles, and merchandise as well as live entertainment.
