Willow Run Custom Bourbon to open craft distillery, bar in downtown Cincinnati

A historic distilling company that thrived in the region during the mid-1800s is coming back to the Queen City with a few modern upgrades.

The new Willow Run Custom Bourbon is resurrecting the legacy of William J. McRoberts Jr., who opened the Willow Run Distilling Co. in the Greater Cincinnati area back in 1865.

The business is moving into the former Okto restaurant space at 645 Walnut St. downtown, directly across from the Aronoff Center for the Arts. The location was also home to E+O New Asian, and before that, it was the Ivy Lounge.