“It is our moment to whet the appetite and set the tone for all that is to come,” said Jess Allman, owner and proprietor of Jackelope Spirits LLC and manager for The Grey.
The Grey, 26 S. Third St., opened a couple of weeks ago but held a grand opening ribbon-cutting on Monday morning. Since then, Allman said they’ve had many guests come in, and in a few weeks of opening, some have become regulars.
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
“We are grateful to be a part of Hamilton’s renaissance chapter in Hamilton’s long history,” she said. “We’re thrilled to be able to breathe life back into these beautiful buildings that have been left for almost dead.”
Jackelope Spirits owns the two buildings along the east side of South Third Street, nearest the corner at Court Street. The Grey is one of the oldest buildings still standing in downtown Hamilton, said Allman. Her research found a record of it in 1843, but she believes it is older.
One of the building’s original uses was as a sample house — another name for a bar — but it’s had several purposes over the decades, including as a dry cleaner, restaurant, and bail bondsman.
Monday’s event was also an opportunity for invited open house guests to get a sneak peek at Carmagnola, which Allman called The Grey’s “big sis” in the Jackelope Spirits family.
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
“We look forward to Carmagnola opening soon,” she said of the fine-dining restaurant. “But (The Grey’s opening) is definitely the opportunity to showcase a little bit of our prowess and get people excited about what we hope to bring.”
In addition to coffee during the day and adult beverages in the evenings, The Grey also offers in-house-made pastries for the coffee and espresso crowd in the mornings, and curated small plates served in the evenings.
Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Dan Bates called The Grey and Carmagnola “a game changer.”
“It resets the tone for downtown fine dining,” he said.
Mayor Pat Moeller called the redevelopment of these downtown Hamilton buildings “incredible.”
“It’s a historic investment, it’s a historic repurpose,” the mayor said. “You put your passion into this, and you also put your sweat equity into this.”
The Grey is open six days a week, 7:30 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and 5 p.m. to midnight Saturday.
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
About the Author
