The Spirit of Entrepreneurship
Central Standard Craft Distilling started in 2012 as a side project — something Evan Hughes and his partner Pat worked on while holding down other jobs. By 2014 they had opened in Walker's Point. By 2017 they went all in, buying a 14,000-square-foot production facility on Milwaukee's Near West Side and committing to it full-time. In this episode of Making New Possible, Evan talks with Angela Damiani about what that journey looked like, what they've learned, and what it takes to build a brand people genuinely love.
From Side Hustle to Milwaukee Staple
The transition from side project to full-time business is one of the hardest moves in entrepreneurship. For Evan and Pat, the decision came when the business had grown enough that staying in their day jobs was no longer sustainable — the opportunity cost of not committing was too high. They moved into a larger facility, expanded their team, and built out the infrastructure to grow. What started as a passion project became a real company, with all the complexity that entails.
Expanding the Central Standard Experience
Central Standard's footprint now extends well beyond its production facility. The company operates a bar at Davidson Park, a location at Milwaukee's airport, and recently acquired property on the Harley-Davidson campus — where plans include a speakeasy, tasting room, event space, and Bourbon Trail-inspired distillery tours. Each expansion is designed to bring people closer to the brand and to show them a different side of Milwaukee in the process.
Rooted in Wisconsin, Made for Discovery
Central Standard distributes across five Midwestern states and leans into local ingredients — Door County cherries, honey from Indian Summer Farms — to anchor its identity in place. The company runs weekly "Friday Tryday" R&D sessions to explore new flavors and ready-to-drink products. The goal is both to serve loyal local customers and to give visitors — especially first-timers to Milwaukee — a reason to look at the city differently.
The Power of a Strong Business Partnership
Evan credits much of Central Standard's success to the partnership he has with Pat. They bring complementary skills: Pat handles finance and paperwork; Evan leads operations and growth. What makes it work, he says, is overcommunication and genuine trust. Business partnerships are like marriages — they require active maintenance, honest conversations, and the kind of mutual respect that lets each person lead in their own domain without stepping on the other. Getting that right from the beginning made everything else easier.
Key Takeaways
- The jump from side project to full-time business requires real commitment — timing matters
- Expanding the brand experience deepens customer loyalty and attracts new audiences
- Local ingredients and community roots make a brand story credible
- Strong partnerships are built on complementary skills, trust, and overcommunication
Written by Brady Jager for NEWaukee, November 2026.