You can tell right from the get-go that StilL 630 Distillery owner and distiller David Weglarz was an English major in college. His distillery name has multiple layers of significance and well- thought-out consequence. But the clincher is, his website’s business description begins with a quote from William Shakespeare. The web page goes on to explain that, to StilL 630, “the answer to that question is …a lot. The ‘St’ and the ‘L’ represent and reinforce our pride in our hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The 630 stands for 630 feet tall, which is the height and width of the St. Louis Arch… It symbolizes the pioneer spirit of the men and women who settled the west. To us, it is a symbol of the indomitable spirit of those pioneers. Believe us when we say, we know a thing or two about spirits.” Further to that, StilL 630 was founded on June 30th (6/30), the serial number on the pot still they use is #630, and if you peel back the onion, you can probably find a few more clues to the distillery’s nomenclature. Spotlight on Business spoke with David Weglarz about his passion for distilling, the journey to get where StilL 630 is today, and the legacy he plans on leaving for future generations to enjoy. By John Allaire S peaking with Weglarz, one immediately gets the impression that no stone will be left unturned in his wake. “After college I was a white-water river-rafting guide in the Smokey Mountains. Then I took the next logical step after that, moved up to Chicago, and became a futures trader,” he states with a chuckle. However, eight years of the stock markets and high finance was no laughing matter. “I got really burnt out. And I always wanted to be my own boss, start a company and build a legacy. But I didn’t know what the legacy would be. I DID know it wasn’t going to be as a futures trader.” Weglarz became frustrated with the “grind.” He was watching friends and clients start exciting ventures and build businesses from the ground up. The soul-searching “What is in a name?”
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JANUARY 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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