Distillery - Metallic Building Systems (SB21)

M etallic Building Systems supplied builder Trident Construction with materials for construction of a South Carolina distillery.

After years of growth, Firefly Spirits, Charleston’s oldest working distillery – best known for producing the world’s first sweet tea flavored vodka – had outgrown their original distillery and tasting room.

Now a nationally recognized brand with more than 25 spirits distributed in all 50 U.S. states, Firefly founders Jim Irvin and Scott Newitt decided to move their operation to North Charleston and sought a builder who could replicate the small, quaint feel of their original distillery on a larger scale using stronger materials.

“When Firefly first came to us, their architect had drawn up plans for a conventionally built structure,” said Todd Bulwinkle, vice president at Trident Construction. “But we knew a metal building would be faster, more cost efficient and, with Charleston situated in a hurricane-prone area, steel would provide the strength needed to endure high-storm conditions.”

“We used 12 different metal building structures and put them together to create an old horse-barn look,” said sales rep Jay Murphy. “And to top it all off, the grand entrance looks identical to the original distillery, 30 miles away in Wadmalaw Island.”