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Food

New Richardson distillery aims to be a neighborhood brewpub for spirits

We called 2019 the year of the neighborhood restaurant, but that ethos is carrying over into booze with a new spot in Richardson that hopes to be a neighborhood-centric distillery.

Evan and Sally Batt, co-founders of the forthcoming Lockwood Distilling Co., are North Dallas residents and want to create a congregation space for their community. In addition to making spirits in-house, the business will also be a restaurant with local chef Justin Box at the helm of the kitchen.

It's expected to open in late September.

With Lockwood Distilling Co., owners Evan and Sally Batt are bringing what they called the...
With Lockwood Distilling Co., owners Evan and Sally Batt are bringing what they called the equivalent of a brewpub for spirits to their neighborhood.(Lindsay Rapier / Courtesy)

Evan was previously a co-owner of Western Son Distillery and the now-closed Whistle Post Brewing Co. in Pilot Point, which is north of Denton. When the couple decided to pursue their next venture, they wanted to be closer to home.

"We have a 6- and an 8-year-old, and the distillery is near the YMCA where we're always at soccer games," Sally says. "The spot we found is where development is happening, but it's also where we live our life."

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Lockwood Distilling Co., which is named for the street where it resides, is located less than a mile from Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson. Plans for the 4,366-square-foot space include an outdoor patio, indoor dining room and bar, and a 22-foot glass wall that will enable patrons to see directly into the distillery with its 100-gallon copper still.

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Evan, who will lead distilling operations, expects to release four un-aged spirits — rum, vodka, gin and brandy — first, but is quick to note nothing is off limits.

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"Anything I can shove into that still," he says, "we're going to experiment and have some fun with."

Lockwood Distilling Co. may also release a blended whiskey and will serve wine, he adds.

According to Box, who is also from the area, the food menu will "create a true family feel with an elevated comfort food experience," with items such as a smoked bologna sandwich and a tuna melt.

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"With this project, we could do the equivalent of a brewpub," Evan says. "As this city grows, we wanted to have something we could celebrate with them."

Lockwood Distilling Co. will be located at 506 Lockwood Drive, Richardson. facebook.com/lockwooddistillingco/.