Earlier this spring, an international entrepreneur decided Harborcreek Township would be the perfect place for his next business venture.
Wednesday night, the owner of Canadian-based Air Distilleries was in town to meet with township supervisors and answer any questions the community might have.
Air Distillers is hoping to provide an experience unlike anything else around once they’re up and running.
Pierre Mantha, the founder and president of Canadian-based Air Distilleries, paid Harborcreek supervisors a visit Wednesday night overseeing the progress of his latest business endeavor.
Mantha wants to build his distillery near Interstate 90, off exit 32.
“The location is perfect. About an hour and a half from Buffalo, Cleveland, Ohio, Pittsburgh, this is perfect,” said Pierre Mantha, founder and president of Air Distillerie.
The move didn’t come without any local familiarity, Mantha said that he’s spent plenty of time in the Erie region racing cars, a hobby of his.
He’s had his eyes on property in the region for the past three years.
“The township has been 100 percent in support. Mike Sanford, the engineer, has been top notch. This is only good. To be honest, this is my third distillery, and this is the easiest that I’ve had it,” Mantha said.
Harborcreek Township Supervisor Tim May said that now that he’s been in the building, things are starting to feel a lot more real.
“It makes it real. With meeting him again tonight, it’s just another step in making another great business development in Harborcreek. We’re excited and it seems like it’s a new and upcoming industry,” Tim May said.
The township will have to manage expectations though as construction will be quite the process.
Mantha said this will be a several stage project that could take as long as 10 years but he’s eager to learn and please the community.
“we’re very proud. We feel that we’ve created the type of environment that businesses want to work in Harborcreek,” May went on to say.
“I want people to feel an experience, I want people to be proud of this place, and believe me, we’re going to stick it out and in a couple of years when you see that building, you’re not going to miss it,” Manta explained.
Mantha is still waiting on some of the final environmental and engineering permits, but he’s optimistic that it’ll be handled by the fall.
