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Crafting a New Path: Two Stern MBA Alumni Tap into the Spirits Market
Taylor Stuart (MBA ’16) and Drew Leyes (MBA ’16) share how they shifted from the corporate world to own their own craft spirit distillery, and why their Stern background helped them take a customer-first approach.
When Taylor Stuart (MBA ’16) and Drew Leyes (MBA ’16) started traveling together as Stern students in the full-time MBA program to places like Papua New Guinea, they didn’t know that one day their love of adventure would eventually lead them to own and run a craft spirits business. But the seeds of a joint venture were already there—conversations about opportunity and untapped markets.
This new Colorado distillery opens with a mission to offer approachable spirits, cocktails
A new distilling company is calling Colorado Springs home, and it aims to keep things “pure” at its new tasting room and distillery. The founders, Army veterans and first-time distillery owners, celebrated the grand opening of Pure Distilling’s tasting room, 2225 Executive Circle, Suite 172, on Friday. Pure Distilling is located in southeast Colorado Springs next to a sports gym and near the El Pomar Youth Sports Complex. New patrons will be treated to a bar and hangout spot filled with Colorado-focused memorabilia and gin, rum, bourbon and associated cocktails with a Colorado, adventure or military theme, depending on the drink.