The old CN train station in downtown Kamloops will soon be home to a new craft distillery.

Kamloops businessman Steve Earl, a local hotelier and former Tourism Kamloops board chair is working with Alberta-based Two Pine Ventures and other investors to establish what will be known as the Iron Horse Distillery.

“[We will be] primarily producing single malt whisky, gin, and vodka called SnoDay that we are currently making through our partners at Two Pines. We’ve been producing it under a contract, and its won several awards in Europe and Asia, and Alberta where its being distributed in Canada,” Earl told NL News.

“The existing train station building that was The Keg, so we would be looking at some renovations to create a tasting room and showroom as well, and then we’d retain the restaurant dining area as was up on the second floor,” he added.

“Of course, it is a historic building for Kamloops so the outside of the building would stay looking as is. Then on the parcel of land between the Sandman Centre and where the station is, we would look at the addition of the distilling facility, offering an amenity for local residents and visitors alike.”

The Keg permanently closed its doors in 2016. The train station building was built in 1926-27 and it was designated as a heritage railway station in 1992. The building was owned by Kelowna-based Culos Group, though it’s been for sale ever since the Keg closed down.

Earl says they’re working on buying the building with plans to have the restaurant and showroom open this year. The goal is to then get the distillery up and running by next year, thereby putting Kamloops on the map.

That’s as Earl points out that the city is already home to two other distilleries, one at Red Collar Brewing downtown and the other – Red Bridge Distilling – near Thompson Rivers University.

“Our water quality in Kamloops is second to none. Within the distilling world, there are a lot of great tax incentives if you are producing your product and selling it through your own front end or a local farmers market,” Earl added, noting he’s excited about the potential of this new craft distillery in the city.

“We’ve seen a lot of success with our breweries and our wineries, and this is just a continuation of that industry.”

New distillery will have positive spinoff effect downtown: KCBIA boss

The Executive Director of the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association says the Iron Horse Distillery will have a positive spinoff effect on the city’s downtown.

Carl DeSantis tells NL News he thinks the train station building is an excellent location for a business of this kind.

“When you look at the connectivity into the remainder of downtown, when you look at the potential for people going to concerts or going to Blazers games when we get back to that point either a beverage or a meal, it’s another option downtown,” he said. “This is just a wonderful story.”

DeSantis says that area of downtown Kamloops has largely been a ghost town ever since The Keg closed its doors five years ago.

“You look at what this is going to do for the downtown. There is so much potential in that area and this will really enhance visitor experiences and the experience of all Kamloopsians,” he added.

“It would really add to the vibe around the railway and really be a wonderful for visitors that travel here.”