Distillery Labs

I was finally able to get in to see the space after running into one of their employees at the Ignite event and him taking me on a tour of the facility. It's a really great space, unfortunately there seem to be a great deal of communication issues. I originally had signed up for a tour via their website back in March - I took the afternoon off and came in and waited in the lobby for over 90 minutes but no one ever showed for the tour and there wasn't anyone at the desk. I got a lead to connect with Malaya and I emailed in three times to try to rebook that tour, but after nearly 2 months I gave up on that. Finally, I met the rep they had at Ignite and he was super helpful - he showed me around the place over lunch the following Monday and got me set up with a digital membership. I gue

Really cool to see this space come to life with so many resources for local entrepreneurs and startups. They have a maker lab, commercial kitchen, lots of conference rooms and offices for rent as well as a full coworking space and offices for valuable community resources like the Economic Development Center, Chamber of Commerce, and more. They even have an amazing local coffee shop in the lobby (which is open to the public and has plenty of space for meetings, too). It was also fun to see the One City Six Ways screen-printed posters I made as a resident artist in Peoria up in the coworking space by the EDC offices.

Weird space, we booked here to film a couple of clients for a video case study. We wanted to bring in lunch and when I went to ask about a few plates/ forks/ cups, I was told by the very rude front desk woman that I could “go to Walmart across town.” My clients were already there so I couldn’t leave. When I went into their ground level kitchen to try and find supplies that had maybe been left by other groups, the front desk woman came and stood over me, watching me with her arms folded like I was in trouble. The owner ended up coming out and asked me what I needed, I told him I just needed a few plates and forks and that I thought this was standard in a coworking space. He told me they are “not an event space… they are an incubator for innovation.” So, those people don’t eat lunch I guess?

Fantastic addition to the community! One of the most exciting things I have seen come to Peoria in my lifetime. I have attended multiple events, and will continue to participate as I grow as a startup.

Distillery Labs in Peoria, Illinois has been instrumental in transforming my entrepreneurial dream into something tangible, giving me impetus to keep persevering on my mission. As a startup accelerator, they've connected me with other creators and doers, provided resources to chug along my mission. What stands out is the genuine commitment of their team. It's rare to find people who are both sincere and conscientious about their mission to serve the community. Their vision of elevating Peoria and the broader Midwest as a technology hub is achievable imo, actively working to build upon the Midwest's rich heritage of innovation and helping establish the region as a major force in modern technology. If you're an entrepreneur or innovator or just curious, I highly recommend checking out Dist