Revival Vintage Bottle Shop co-owners Shannon Smith and Brad Bonds expressed relief that their years-long move into North by Hotel Covington is finally complete.
Smith and Bonds opened Revival Vintage Bottle Shop in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. MeetNKY CEO Julie Kirkpatrick said she thought that Smith was “crazy” when she first pitched the idea for a vintage bourbon bottle shop in 2019.
Five years later, Kirkpatrick conceded that Smith was “crazy like a fox,” as the business had received plenty of success and acclaim. Revival’s first location was 5 E. 8th St. in Covington.
However, their ultimate goal was to move into North by Hotel Covington – a $26.5 million expansion that increased Hotel Covington’s presence on Madison Avenue by a city block.
Revival announced in August 2022 that they had signed a lease to occupy a future storefront in the space. They planned to open a multi-level bourbon-tasting bar and showroom. After over two years, and a lawsuit, Revival finally celebrated its grand opening of the new location on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
“We got a lease here two years ago, and it has taken tremendous effort, faith, belief, support from everyone you can imagine to get us here,” Smith said.
Revival hosted a grand opening ceremony preceded by a ribbon-cutting courtesy of the City of Covington. Speakers included Smith, Bonds, Kirkpatrick and Covington Mayor Joe Meyer.
Meyer praised Revival for contributing to Covington’s rich bourbon culture. He also noted Revival’s new location, which is prominently featured in the heart of the city.
“This enterprise is a testament to the spirit of entrepreneurship here in Covington,” Meyer said. “Let’s face it, they’re taking a bunch of old bourbon bottles that are mostly full that nobody had used, and they’ve been sitting in a closet for generations, and they’re making a fortune on it.”
Kirkpatrick touted key Revival’s role in marketing the region across the United States and the globe as it’s been featured in well-known publications such as Conde Naste and the New York Times.
“I can tell you that the more than 500 journalists that we have brought to Northern Kentucky have made Revival part of their story – often the star of the story,” she said.
Revival now comprises three floors inside its new space. Fedders Construction and Hub+Weber Architects worked with Revival to design the new store. So far, only the first and second floors are open to the public with the third floor still under construction.
The first floor acts as a showroom for vintage bottles, or “dusties” as they’re called in the bourbon enthusiast community. Patrons have the opportunity to try a variety of vintage spirits that can be over 100 years old.
“Cheers to the future,” Bonds said. “Let’s go drink some bourbon.”
