Republic Restoratives sits in DC’s Ivy City neighborhood, a gritty industrial area that’s slowly transforming into the city’s craft spirits hub. Founded in 2015 by Pia Carusone and Rachel Gardner, this women-owned distillery emerged from an unlikely friendship between a political operative and a bartender. Carusone had spent years as Gabrielle Giffords’ chief of staff, while Gardner was slinging drinks at some of DC’s top cocktail bars. Their 8,000-square-foot facility occupies a converted warehouse that buzzes with the energy of copper stills and fermenting grain. They focus on American whiskey, gin, and vodka, with a particular emphasis on their Borough Bourbon and Civic Vodka. The operation runs on principles as much as grain bills – they’re committed to hiring locally and supporting their Ivy City community, which has a complex history of urban renewal and displacement. What started as two friends with complementary skills has grown into DC’s most prominent craft distillery, proving that political acumen and bartending expertise make for a potent combination.