By STEVE MICHALOVICH — 
In & About Uptown Contributor —

Uptown resident Adam Hines is the co-founder and master distiller at High Bank Distillery. High Bank plans to open its third Central Ohio restaurant-distillery in Uptown, in the old Westerville Post Office building at 28 S. State St., on Aug. 20, 2024.

There’s always excitement brewing (or should we say, distilling?) when a new merchant is coming to Uptown Westerville. But the excitement is especially high for High Bank Distillery. The new Uptown location’s highly anticipated opening is set for Aug. 20. 

We recently caught up with one of the co-founders, Adam Hines to ask a few questions about High Bank’s venture into Westerville. Adam, who also is an Uptown resident, was kind enough to participate in a Question & Answer session with us, about this exciting Uptown news.

STEVE: There’s been plenty of buzz about High Bank Distillery coming to town, but what do you most want residents and visitors of Westerville to know about the business?

ADAM: Plain and simple: why we wanted to be in Westerville is because our brand is rooted in the story of the Whiskey Wars, which occurred in Westerville. We tell this story on our distillery tours in Grandview, and now that history is literally right across the street from our newest location. It’s a true full circle moment for us to connect these dots, as we continue to expand our brand.

STEVE: What makes your Uptown location unique?

ADAM: It’s a dual experience. We offer a dining room and bar, but we also offer the only dedicated DORA (designated outdoor refreshment area) window in Westerville. P.O. Box 21 (our speakeasy) will offer something entirely different when it opens this fall. Our building is obviously convenient for walking Uptown, but it’s also extraordinarily historic with unique elements such as open windows and lighting versus a cavernous space. 

STEVE: What is your favorite thing about Uptown Westerville?

ADAM: The transition it’s going through. Living here for 10 years, Uptown was not a regular place for a date night. Additions such as Northstar and others have encouraged multiple, various other concepts for the district. I love that High Bank is part of making it a destination.

STEVE: How do you plan to engage with the Westerville community?

ADAM: We plan to be fully engrained in events happening in Westerville: parades, Christmas tree lighting, Fourth Friday. We strive to be a community brand and want to be represented within the city. We recently painted a truck and put whiskey barrels in it to walk in the Fourth of July parade!

STEVE: What’s next for High Bank Distillery?

ADAM: Continue to be the most well-respected distillery in the Midwest and expand!

Steve Michalovich

High Bank Distillery operates two other restaurant locations in Central Ohio and the award-winning whiskey is recognized as one of the best in the world. Grab a reservation for the Westerville location to check it out!

—Contributor Steve Michalovich is a Westerville resident, Central Ohio marketing professional, and former UWI Board of Directors member.