A Dexter native’s passion project has become a career-changer for former physician associate Christi Lower (rhymes with power). She first encountered a “bourbon steward” at a Kentucky wedding a decade ago, then dove deeply into distillation textbooks during the pandemic. The concept of becoming a nondistiller producer crystallized during a family hike of the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park, and culminated in the fall opening of Highline Spirits.
“I quit my job. I pivoted into a completely different industry. And I have four kids at home. So I also have a plethora of eyes watching me relearn new things and fail and get back up and ask different questions and ask for help. And so that’s also a motivator,” shares Lower.
“Our intent is to experiment, is to stay curious, is to really investigate what highlights the spirits in different ways,” she says, referring to the four kinds of whiskey on offer, as well as fresh gin, vodka, and rum craft cocktails. The whiskeys, arriving as distillates from around the country, are blended, proofed, and finished at their facility in Manchester.
The ninety-seat tasting room feels more like a lounge than a bar, and it features only Highline’s own creations. It’s the spacious middle section of a converted garage that most recently was home to the Encore Musical Theatre Company. Overhead doors lead to a large back patio with heaters and seating for another fifty patrons. Lower envisions a rotation of food trucks there as well.
“We want people to come enjoy something premium, a little bit higher end, and really dive into having an experience here,” she says.
While she’s scaling the industry learning curve with the assistance of mentors, professional groups, and her own “gumption,” her husband and partner Jeff, an attorney, has come in handy for more than just his legal and business acumen. In the male-dominated spirits industry, most of the suppliers are used to working with men.
“And so I often would call places and not get a call back,” she related. “Women in the industry that are very well known and successful have talked about this too, that they don’t get calls back, and so we have our husbands call. And then the VP of something calls them back and invites them to go golfing. So they get a call back within twenty-four hours after we’ve called several days in a row.
“It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in. You just have to find the people that will help.”
Highline Spirits, 3126 Broad St., Dexter. (734) 580–2349. Thurs. 3–9 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 3–10 p.m., Sun. 3–9 p.m. Closed Mon.–Wed. highlinespirits.com
