“The tide lifts all ships:” Small businesses in Washington support each other
Mark Kennison, owner of Nineteen North, an entertainment venue on North Main Street, Washington. The space includes a stage, state-of-the-art lighting, and sound system. Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Nineteen North, an entertainment and performance venue, has hosted events ranging from weddings, concerts and plays to a comedy series and pop up kitchen takeovers. The first event, held in 2019, was a wedding. Courtesy Nineteen North
Angela and John Burgess, who took the helm at A&M Wine and Beer Supplies more than a year ago, recently launched their fourth business venture, Burgess & Burgess Distillery, along East Maiden Street in downtown Washington. The couple also owns an eatery and brewery that share space with B&B. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
A batch of Burgess & Burgess Distillery liquor waits to be labeled before enhancing mixed drinks or a customer’s home bar. Angela and John Burgess recently launched the distillery next door to their wine and beer supplies store in downtown Washington. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Angela and John Burgess enjoyed crafting beer and wine so much that recently the couple launched Burgess & Burgess Distillery to their repertoire. B&B Distillery offers small batches of single malt whiskey, tequila, spiced rum and cordials, made on-site in one of two stills.
Small batches of single malt whiskey, tequila, spiced rum and fruit cordials are crafted in this 50-gallon still at Burgess & Burgess Distillery along East Maiden Street. Angela and John Burgess also own and run The Washington Winery, a brewery and restaurant. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The Washington Winery and Washington Brewing Company were some of the first local businesses to open their doors and initiate downtown Washington’s revival. Now, Angela and John Burgess, who own both those ventures and a wine and beer supply store, are offering small batches of liquor, including malt whiskey, through Burgess & Burgess Distillery. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Barrels can be used for aging beer and spirits, and these barrels are put to use for both. John and Angela Burgess, who own and run The Washington Winery, The Washington Brewing Company and Burgess & Burgess Distillery, age beer, wine and spirits from anywhere from a few months to years in big barrels and small. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
The Washington Brewing Company offers locally-crafted beer and, now, folks who stop into Angela and John Burgess’s restaurant along East Maiden Street can also order handcrafted spirits. The Burgesses recently launched B&B Distillery. Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
A&M Wine and Beer Supplies and The Washington Winery sit next door to The Washington Brewing Company and, now, Burgess & Burgess Distillery along East Maiden Street, where folks can enjoy beer, wine and spirits and some good eats by Angela and John Burgess.
The entertainment venue Nineteen North has drawn top-notch musicians and bands to its stage since it opened its doors in 2019. Nineteen North features state-of-the-art sound and lighting and a stage. Courtesy Nineteen North
Nineteen North, an entertainment venue in downtown Washington, hosts a variety of events that draw visitors to the city. A Christmas Extravaganza Market in December 2022 featured about 30 local vendors and a visit from Santa Claus. Courtesy Nineteen North
Mark Kennison owns the President’s Pub and Nineteen North, a restaurant and an entertainment venue, respectively, on North Main Street, Washington. His philosophy about businesses in Downtown Washington is that “the tide lifts all ships.”
Businesses can often be competitive, but for small businesses and entrepreneurs in downtown Washington, uplifting each other has been mutually beneficial as top-notch shops, restaurants and libation spots continue to thrive and grow.
“Is the Union Grill competition? Oh my goodness, no. Do you know how thankful I am to have the Union Grill here, to have a long-standing restaurant with a positive reputation that has brought people into the city for decades? In successful, bustling towns, there are several Presidents Pubs, Union Grills, Liberty Poles, Red Pumps, Washington Brewing Companies,” said Kennison, ticking off a list of downtown Washington establishments.
Washington business owners echo Kennison’s commitment to the notion that supporting other businesses helps everyone.
In 2021, John and Angela Burgess opened their fourth business venture, Burgess & Burgess Distillery, at 28 E. Maiden St., in the lower level of the couple’s brewery, The Washington Brewing Company. Their commitment to downtown Washington dates back more than a decade when they purchased A&M Wine and Beer Supplies.
Kennison and the Burgesses are the elder statesmen of downtown businesses. Kennison has launched six businesses in the city, starting with the Upper Crust restaurant. Nineteen North opened its doors in 2019.
The Burgesses currently own and operate The Washington Winery, in addition to the brewery and restaurant, and the distillery. The couple is happy to uplift and amplify other small businesses.
“When we moved up here, we were the only manufacturer of spirit product. We were the first. Then Red Pump opened, Liberty Pole opened, and we worked with them. You could see things changing and people supporting all of the businesses,” said Angela Burgess. “Washington was doing really great before the pandemic hit, and the pandemic put a little stall on everything here – as it did in a lot of places – but I think Washington is back. I think there are good things ahead for Washington.”
John Burgess added, “Think about California. There are 100 wineries lined up on the streets. Ashville, N.C., has 60 breweries in a town the size of Washington. We’ve said a hundred times, if a brewery goes up across the street, it’s not my competition. It’s my assistant.”
Here’s a closer look at the newest ventures of Kennison and the Burgesses.
Burgess & Burgess Distillery
The distillery, a division of The Washington Brewing Company, represents a hybridizing and expansion of the Burgesses’ operations by adding spirits to their offerings.
There’s a natural connection between brewing and distilling, John Burgess said.
“All of the equipment used in a brewery can be used in a distillery, but not all of the equipment in a distillery can be used in a brewery,” said John. “That’s kind of how we ended up in malt whiskey: everything at the very front end is the exact same thing as making beer. When we put the brewery in, the brewery was designed around having a distillery as well.”
The Burgesses produce single malt whiskey, tequila, spiced rum and fruit cordials in two stills – 50 gallons and 160 gallons.
Everything is done by hand, and no artificial ingredients are used. The spirits are used in drinks sold at the brewery or can be purchased by the bottle.
The Studebaker Lounge, at the bottom of the brewery, has been renovated and now hosts events.
A&M provides a wide variety of equipment and supplies for crafting wine and beer, and The Washington Winery, the Burgesses’ first venture, sits next door to the brewery and distillery.
John, a chemical engineer and U.S. Navy veteran, and Angela, whose family has made wine for the past 100 years, opened the urban winery in 2014. They hand-select California grapes to craft their varietals, including cabernet, zinfandel, chardonnay and riesling.
They launched the brewery – which features craft beer modeled after many German beer styles – in 2017.
Self-described “foodies,” the couple’s impressive menu features wood-fired pizzas, house-smoked meats and all fresh ingredients.
“Everything is fresh. For our wood-fired pizzas, we make the dough, we make the sauce, we make our own sausage that goes on the pizzas. We grind all of our meat. We make our own bier cheese, dressing for salads,” said John. “We make our own wine. We make our own beer. We make our spirits. Why wouldn’t we make our own food?”
Venue Nineteen North
Nineteen North, an entertainment venue located at 19 N. Main St., has brought new life to the neighborhood since opening in 2019.
The 8,000-square-foot, chic industrial locale has hosted weddings, concerts, plays, stand-up comedy shows – Pittsburgh comedians Jimmy Krenn and Frank Nictoero are among the acts booked – a wildly successful pop-up kitchen takeover, and music events.
Nineteen North includes state-of-the-art lighting, concert-quality sound, a stage, a VIP loft and a suite for bridal parties and entertainers. The venue holds up to 500 people.
Kennison envisioned “using Nineteen North to help people discover all the other great businesses we have downtown.”
“I hoped this venue would be a ‘destination venue’ that would pull people in and make it worth their half-hour or hour drive,” said Kennison. “We have great restaurants here, but so do a lot of other small towns. There is a food scene all over – Carnegie, Bridgeville. But not everyone has a place that has national musical acts or comedians or a big concert. We’re worth driving a little farther for because of all of the businesses we have. We’re fortunate that the businesses opening here are all high quality, the owners are passionate, they care, and their products are amazing.”
A lifelong resident of Washington, Kennison is invested, both financially and emotionally, in contributing to the revitalization of the downtown. In addition to Upper Crust, Kennison also operated a coffee shop and a specialty import store. He has renovated apartments on Main Street to provide rental space for tourists.
Kennison also partners with local non-profits such as Bridge to Home Animal Rescue, donating proceeds from ticket sales and events at Nineteen North to the organizations.
“It’s so much more than just a business when you collaborate on an event with a non-profit. You enjoy your work and also raise money for a cause,” said Kennison. “Making Washington work means something to me deeply. We’re going to make downtown Washington work, and we’re going to make it work for everyone. It’s good to see the businesses in downtown Washington doing a phenomenal job. It keeps me going on a day-to-day basis.”