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Second Sight Spirits expanding footprint in Ludlow, Kentucky

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Second Sight Spirit Expansion
Second Sight Spirits Expansion Rendering
Posted at 2:22 PM, Jan 09, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-09 16:34:05-05

LUDLOW, Ky. — A Northern Kentucky craft distillery is growing.

The owners of Second Sight Spirits announced on Wednesday that they are expanding their tasting room and production facility into a space adjacent to the distillery located at 301 Elm St. in Ludlow.

"Expanding into a new space will allow us to hold more visitors; both locally and those on the B-line and Kentucky Craft Trail, as well as serve cocktails in a lounge setting and feature a stage area for events," said co-owner Carus Waggoner in a press release.

Waggoner added grants from Duke Energy and Catalytic Fund helped finance the expansion, which he and business partner Rick Couch hope to open in April. The additional space will have room for 94 guests and include space for private events and gatherings.

Waggoner and Couch, both Northern Kentucky natives, launched Second Sight in 2014 with a line of hand-crafted rum. They have since added corn whiskey and Oak Eye Kentucky Bourbon to Second Sight's offerings. They also launched "VillaHillbillies Moonshine" in 2017 with a third business partner Dan Gibson.

Second Sight's expansion will also allow guests to take part in Second Sight's unique distilling experiences, Waggoner said.

"Visiting Second Sight should be an engaging and unique experience," he said. "We’re going to have several interactive engagements."

Those elements will reflect Couch and Waggoner's lives prior to opening Second Sight. Both worked on sets for Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, which is also where they first learned about craft distilling.

The pair hired Jason Curtis of Curtis Creative to design Second Sight's interactive elements.

"Jason’s strength is in not only creating unique spaces, but experiences; as he’s designed national amusement parks, rock n roll and theater touring shows and parades - locally he’s worked with King’s Island Halloween Haunt as well," Waggoner said.

People will be able to preview the new space as a work-in-progress during Ludlow's Cabin Fever Festival on Feb. 23.

"Second Sight’s vision is quite literally, 'the future' and the future is in Kentucky bourbon – so bringing in some of those fortune telling and bourbon-based elements is key to engaging our patrons in a new way," said Waggoner.

Second Sight's existing storefront will remain open as renovations takes place in the adjacent space.