Lori and Jeromy Murphy are architects. Their creativity goes well beyond designing buildings, too.

After meeting as students at Texas Tech University, they created a life together, complete with two beautiful daughters.

When the Meyerland home they had just renovated for themselves was damaged by a flood, they tore it down and created a new one — at a higher elevation.

Now they seek to create a new business and watering hole in the Brays Oaks District.

In a spot on Chimney Rock Road that was a Discount Tire store and most recently a CrossFit studio, the Murphys are working to open Drop of the Creator Spirits Company, a distillery where they intend to bottle a straight bourbon, Texas whiskey, at least two premium gins, vodka and an agave spirit distilled in Mexico.

They also plan to make a single malt American whiskey that will age onsite and be ready for bottling in two or three years.

Guests will be able to buy bottles directly from Drop of the Creator. When the tasting room opens, the Murphys plan to offer craft cocktails, four to six kinds of beers and plenty of non-alcoholic drink options, as well as charcuterie, pizza and other snack items.

Most importantly, they plan to offer a place for their customers — their neighbors — to gather.

“We live just up the road from the business. This is a great community and investing in it seems like a no-brainer,” Lori Murphy said.

The Murphys

Many distillery warehouse venues are vast and uncomfortable. Using their professional background, the Murphys envision a welcoming and lively space with areas for small and large groups, individuals and families to gather.

“Comfort is number one,” Murphy said. “We have had many discussions about exactly what type of seating to provide, and there will be a few special design surprises that will be revealed when we open.”

The Murphys bought the building at 10929 Chimney Rock.

“The size is right, the location is perfect, and there are real advantages to renovating an existing building rather than building new,” Murphy said.

Before their anticipated opening in September, the Murphys will make substantial alterations to the 6,700-square-foot site, including installing sprinkler systems, new plumbing and new electrical systems throughout.

When their eldest daughter went off to college, Murphy said, she and her husband realized it would be a short two years until their other daughter would graduate from Bellaire High School and they would have an empty nest.

“We always have a project that we are working on,” she said, “but this time we wanted not just a project, but a career change as well. We both like visiting breweries and distilleries and thought we should give it a go.”

They looked at several locations in the city for their business venture but kept coming back to the area they call home.

“Our neighborhood is underserved. We really don’t like fighting through traffic to get across town to visit a trendy place. From the beginning we wanted to locate the business close to our home,” Murphy said.

Jeromy Murphy was inspired by the Irish-American ballad “Finnegan’s Wake” for the name of the business. The first verse introduces a Tim Finnegan who had a love of liquor and would start each day with a drop of the craythur.

“Craythur is Irish for both whiskey and creature, something that is created and has spirit,” Murphy said. “We changed it to Drop of the Creator as a nod to our architect backgrounds and our love of making things.”

— by Dorothy Puch Lillig