Longtime Mount Holly distillery struggles to get supplies after flood

The owner of the Muddy River Distillery in Mount Holly said that Highland Avenue, which was shut down due to flood waters, is hurting his business because he can’t get the ingredients needed to make his product.

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Helene dumped so much water that Dutchman’s Creek overflowed swamping Highland Avenue.

It was closed for three days, but now there are problems with the bridge.

“Having a bridge down kind of blocks us off from the world,” said Robert Delaney, the owner of Muddy River Distillery.

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He said while cars can drive the three-block detour, the big rigs aren’t allowed to take that route.

Customers can still come to the bar upstairs but Delaney said, “Distribution pays the mortgage around here. That’s how we are the oldest. We are the oldest rum distillery in the Carolinas.”

He said he can’t fill the bottles without 2,500 pounds of sugar.

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That regular shipment is hampered by debris wedged against the bridge, which has a hole that is about one foot in diameter.

A North Carolina Department of Transportation spokesperson said, “Once the debris is removed, our bridge inspectors can perform a more thorough inspection of the bridge and assess any damage. Then we’ll work on a repair plan and timeline.”

However, Delaney said he needs the problem fixed sooner before he must shut down parts of the factory and distribution.

Many of the roads will be closed beyond next week so he may have to have the ingredients shipped to his old factory in Belmont. From there, smaller trucks can transport supplies to his Mount Holly distillery.

However, that will cost more and slow down production. Fortunately, that will keep some business going.

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