Chris Montana on Du Nord Social Spirits and making an impact in communities | BlackMade

Chris Montana and his wife Shanelle Montana founded Minneapolis-based Du Nord Social Spirits in 2013. The distillery makes specially released The post Chris Montana on Du Nord Social Spirits and making an impact in communities | BlackMade appeared first on TheGrio.

Jun 22, 2023 - 05:00

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Chris Montana on Du Nord Social Spirits and making an impact in communities | BlackMade

“We need to get past those extraordinary stories. And it needs to start being ordinary that people from communities of color can start a business just like anybody else,” said Chris Montana

Chris Montana and his wife Shanelle Montana founded Minneapolis-based Du Nord Social Spirits in 2013.

The distillery makes specially released barreled gin, vodka, whiskey, coffee liqueur and apple liqueur. But there is more to Du Nord Social Spirits than just alcohol. Montana says making an impact in the community is just as important.

The George Floyd murder in May 2020 happened about a mile away from the distillery. Aa a result, the Montanas founded the Du Nord Foundation to address racial inequities and build economic justice in their hometown.

Du Nord Social Spirits founder Chris Montana says making an impact in the community is just as important as owning a business. (Courtesy of Du Nord Social Spirits)

“We need to get past those extraordinary stories. And it needs to start being ordinary that people from communities of color can start a business just like anybody else,” Montana said regarding making the path easier for other business owners.

“And so that’s our long-term goal, he continued.”

“How can we fit into those ecosystems and make it just that little bit easier so that the next person who wants to start a distillery, barbershop, restaurant — whatever it is — that next person won’t end up sitting in a chair like this, telling that story of how they were working those 22 hour days, damaging their health, etc., just to get this thing off the ground.“