The Party Source Expands into Newport

By Adrian Maties, Associate Editor

The Party Source–regarded by many as Greater Cincinnati’s authority for beer, wine, spirits, cigars, specialty foods and party supplies–is expanding. Soapbox Cincinnati recently reported on the retailer’s 30,000-square-foot expansion project already underway.

The project calls for the construction of a new complex adjacent to the original main building and scheduled for completion next spring. It includes a three-story distillery, expected to be a popular tourist attraction, and an event center with a catering kitchen and rooftop patio that can accommodate 150 guests.

The main building is also expanding, increasing its size by one third, with completion expected by the end of the year. While the current store is located in Bellevue, all of the new development will actually be over the border in neighboring Newport. The two Northern Kentucky cities sit on the banks of the Ohio River, with The Party Source shop straddling the border. The purpose of the $13 million project is to create a Party Source Campus where visitors can not only buy but also learn about the products–”a much more sophisticated way of retailing,” as Party Source President Ken Lewis told Soapbox Cincinnati.

What impact will this expansion project have on the area? “It’s going to generate investment and jobs by reclaiming land that was otherwise unusable,” Newport City Manager Thomas Fromme said over a year ago, during the earlier stages of the project. He also called it “a great addition to our city.” But if you want to find out what Cincinnatians think about the project, you just need to look to the Internet again. One resident simply commented on Soapbox Cincinnati’s page: “Yay. Beer.” 

Photo credits:Google Maps