New Riff Distillery raises money for service employees

It's been almost a year since the pandemic ravaged the bar and restaurant industry, and the Tri-State is still feeling the effects.

New Riff Distilling in Newport stepped up to lend a hand ... or, handle.

IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEARSINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED.BARS AND RESTAURANTS ARE STILLFEELING THE FFECTS.

THETRI-STATE COMMUNITY STEPPED UPTO SAVE EACH OTHER IN A HUGEWAY!

IT ALL INVOLVED BOUBON!REPORTER RAVEN RICHARD TELLSUS HOW.LLINTRO:NEW RIFF DISTILLINGIN BELLEUVE SOLD 896 BOTTLESOF A 15-YEAR-OLD BOURBON INJUST 2 MINUTES!

THAT'S ALMOSTTHE LENGTH OF THIS STORY.

THEMONEY FROM IT, STAYS IN THETRI-STATE.PKG:(HANNAH LOWEN-VP OF OPERATIONS AT NEW RIFFDISTILLING)"we were surprisedby the speed I guess but notreally."HANNAH LOWEN WITH NEWRIFF DISTILLING SAYS THEY WEREWAITING TO SELL THE 15 YEARAGED BOURBON WHISKEY FOR ARAINY DAY.(HANNAH LOWEN- VP OFOPERATIONS AT NEW RIFFDISTILLING)"and if covid's nota rainy day, I don't know whatelse is."NEW RIFF DISTILLINGIS ACTUALLY DOING FINE DURINGTHE PANDEMIC.

THEY WANTED TOPOUR UP SOME LOVE FOR THERESTAURANTS AND BARSSTRUGGLING.

THEY RAISED NEARLY$140,000 FROM THOSE 896BOTTLES.BILL WHITLOW, OWNER OFRICH'S PROPER FOOD AND DRINKIN COVINGTON SAYS EVERY CENTIS NEEDED.(BILL WHITLOW- OWNEROF RICH'S PROPER FOOD ANDDRINK)"our fixed costs, rent,utilities, that's been thesame while costs of gloveshave tripled, the cost of PPEhas been expensive.

Servingfood to go is more expensive."(BRENT COOPER- PRESIDENT ANDCEO OF THE NKY CHAMBER OFCOMMERCE)"it benefits thoseindustries that have been hitthe hardest by the pandemic.Hospitality, bars,restaurants.

Thoseinstitutions are critical tonot only our economy but ourculture, our way of life."ACROSS THE RIVER, 2020 STARTEDOUT WITH 23,000 RESTAURANTSSTATEWIDE.(HOMA MOHEIMANI-SPOKESPERSON FOR THE OHIORESTAURANT ASSOCIATION)"a yearlater we estimate about 1 in 5restaurants of those original23,000 have closed."(HANNAHLOWEN- VP OF OPERATIONS AT NEWRIFF DISTILLING)"we wanted tofind a way to help our bar andrestaurant community ingreater Cincinnati andnorthern Kentucky, it'sobviously been a very hardyear."(BILL WHITLOW- OWNER OFRICH'S PROPER FOOD AND DRINK)"if we hadn't been sosupported, we might not havesurvived in this time and behere today."LLTAG:THE BOTTLESARE GONE BUT YOU CAN GET A 15DOLLAR SAMPLE IN THEIR TASTINGROOM--THAT MONEY ALSO GOESINTO THE RELIEF FUND.

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