Millville Means Business Profile

It all started with an obsession. Jay and Ashley Wheeler, owners of Mission Spirits Distillery, thought it would be fun to try to make their own spirits in their tiny New York City apartment kitchen – no easy task. And the obsession never went away.

Years later, they found themselves scouting locations for a working distillery. Originally from Ohio, Jay sought the Main Street vibe he’d experienced back home. Millville checked all the boxes and then some. “Millville has so many assets. The theater, a vibrant arts community, restaurants, the lake and a committed, dedicated community,” he says.

They opened to the public in 2021, with Steve Kelley, who shared the Wheelers’ vision of making quality spirits, in-house from agricultural raw materials – not every distillery does it that way.

It went from dream to accolades, including Double Gold from the Tasting Alliance, two years running. “You could argue our white rum is one of the best in the world,” Jay says.

“Making your own is special. With art and science, you’re creating something new that nobody in the world has ever tasted before. That sings. It lifts my spirits – pun intended,” he says.