Strivers’ Row Distillery is Creating Whiskey Rooted in Latino Culture!
Strivers’ Row Distillery is Creating Whiskey Rooted in Latino Culture!
When you think of traditional Latino spirits rum and tequila are usually the first to come to mind. However, a local distiller is looking to not only change the narrative but also blaze a trail for Latinos in the whiskey making businesses. Francisco Garcia is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic and grew up in New York City and the founder of Strivers’ Row Distillery, a small batch whiskey distillery based in Kensington.
Francisco began his entrepreneurial journey as an ice cream truck shop in New York City. However, after relocating with his wife to Philadelphia he soon found himself serving up treats of the adult kind, whiskey. Strivers’s Row Distillery, gets its name from a stretch of Harlem, NYC that was once off-limits to people of color. Eventually Black and Latino residents inhabited the area and their drive to achieve the “American Dream” gave birth to the name Strivers’ Row.
Staying true to his roots, Francisco created a twist on the traditional Dominican spirit mamjuana and created Papa Juan. Instead of wine and rum, his Papa Juan is a whiskey rooted spices and flavors that is an ode to his motherland.
Working out of a cozy space in the heart of Kensington, Francisco has already garnered attention from local media outlets and bars alike. Now as he plans to grow his distillery, Francisco is now striving to achieve his dreams of growing his brand in Philadelphia and beyond.
