FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — A quick online search of House of Commons: A Bourbon Library, describes a new bar with flights of vintage and current whiskeys, but an interview with the proprietor, Dave Sandlin, reveals a much more unique story.
“Me and my wife moved here almost four years ago to help start a church plant here in town. It's called Multiply Church,” Sandlin told LEX 18.
It wasn’t Kentucky spirits, but the Holy Spirit, leading Sandlin and his young family to Frankfort, Kentucky.
On a mission to grow a church, which they’re still heavily involved in, the Sandlins met Ben Hardin, the entrepreneur behind a beautiful renovation of 245 W Main Street.
Hardin laid the groundwork, he just needed someone to build the business.
“So me and my wife said 'Sure, we'd love to own a bar.' We've never owned a bar…but we'd love to own a bar,” Sandlin laughed.
As they set out on a new adventure, the family learned that their Kentucky roots ran deep. They discovered ID badges from relatives who worked as grain inspectors at the old Albert Blanton Distillery, and they learned that their home once belonged to a master distiller.
Sandlin continued, “Shortly after we moved here, I learned that my great grandmother was born at OFC Distillery in 1901, and I learned that my great great grandfather worked at James Pepper Distillery in the early 1900s.”
As the stars aligned, Sandlin said it felt like a ‘pinch me’ moment.
Now, the family is woven into the fabric of Frankfort’s history and loving every minute.
“My home is one mile away from my kid's school and my girls go to school down the street from my bar, and as funny as that sounds, it's just part of life here,” said Sandlin.
With a vision for something different, their life will be a lot like the bourbon they serve, even better with time.
“As you can see, there are no TVs on the walls, and that's because we want people to connect, we want people to connect with one another, we want them to connect with the spirit, we want people to connect with our team here, we call them bourbon librarians,” Sandlin said. “We're more than just a bar with drinks, we're about providing people the opportunity to connect with Kentucky's main product, bourbon, and America's native spirit."
House of Commons: A Bourbon Library is open seven days a week. You can learn more here.
