Daily Inspiration: Meet Jay Milliken

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Milliken

Hi Jay, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
To me, hospitality is about creating human connections in spaces where people feel not just welcome, but truly seen and valued. That belief has played a huge role in shaping my career.

I was born and raised in Traverse City, and while this area has always been home, my career in the liquor industry took me on quite a journey. In 2006, I moved to Los Angeles to start a spirits company with my cousins called VeeV, an acai-based liqueur that we built from the ground up. VeeV grew quickly, earning recognition as one of the fastest-growing independent spirits brands in the U.S. We expanded into multiple markets and gained accolades for our innovative approach and commitment to sustainability. At one point, VeeV was even recognized as one of the most eco-friendly spirits brands in the industry.

After VeeV, I transitioned into consulting, working with major players in the liquor business, including Suntory, one of the world’s leading spirits companies. Suntory has a deep history in Japanese whisky and owns an impressive portfolio of global brands, from Jim Beam to Hibiki. My role was to help revitalize certain brands within their portfolio while also working on the development and launch of new ones.

Throughout my time in the spirits industry, I traveled constantly, introducing and marketing brands across the country. This put me in bars and restaurants everywhere, giving me a firsthand look at the hospitality industry from the inside out. That experience naturally pulled me back in, reigniting my passion for the energy, creativity, and sense of community that great hospitality spaces bring to life.

That passion had been with me from the start. My first jobs in Traverse City were in restaurants and bars, starting at “The Omelette Shoppe” when I was 14, riding my bike to work. Later, between school and moving out west, I worked in bartending and management roles at various local establishments, gaining firsthand experience in hospitality. Those early experiences shaped my work ethic and solidified my love for the industry.

After years in consulting, I returned to hospitality full-time, spending nearly a decade conceptualizing, designing, launching and operating five different restaurant and bar concepts in Los Angeles. These projects included Sawyer, Kettle Black, Scout, Atrium, and Pinky’s, each earning recognition in LA’s highly competitive dining scene. Sawyer was named “Best New Restaurant” by Eater LA, and Atrium was featured in Michelin’s Bib Gourmand Guide for its exceptional quality and approachability.

After getting married in Traverse City and knowing I wanted to start a family, I felt an even stronger pull to return home. A lifelong goal has always been to contribute to and preserve what makes Traverse City and Old Mission Peninsula so special. Conversations with friends and family back home kept drawing me toward ways to deepen my roots and get involved in meaningful projects.
That’s when the opportunity at Seven Hills emerged. Before it hit the market, it was offered to the father of my childhood friend and now business partner, Jordan Valdmanis, who had previously owned it in the 1990s.

We saw Seven Hills as more than just a piece of property. It had the potential to become something truly special. It was nearly vacant and underutilized, but we envisioned it as a large, inviting, community-focused property—a space where locals and visitors alike could gather, shop, drink, dine, and create.

Bringing this vision to life meant curating businesses that align with the creativity, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurial spirit of this community. Every business at Seven Hills is locally owned and operated, each adding to the shared goal of making this a true gathering place.

Tinker Studio, the only existing tenant when we purchased the property, was a natural fit for this vision. Tinker is a creative space and gallery showcasing fine and functional art from over 50 local artists.
In addition to offering unique goods, Tinker hosts weekly art classes and artist pop-ups, making it a vibrant hub where locals and visitors connect over creativity.

We also have Kindred Mission Salon, owned and operated by another lifelong friend and Old Mission resident, Alexandra Billette. Her salon adds a welcoming, personal touch to the property, offering a place for self-care and community connection.

To further enhance the experience, Seven Hills is also home to a restaurant and coffee shop, creating a warm and inviting space to gather over great food and drinks. The café proudly serves Panther Coffee, a brand founded by another Traverse City native, Joel Pollock, and his wife, Leticia. Their Traverse City roastery specializes in small-batch roasting of directly traded coffees, ethically sourced from farmers around the world.

As a continuation of our community-driven vision, Old Mission Distilling at Seven Hills was born—a place built on a deep love for human connection, craft spirits, exceptional hospitality, and the land of Northern Michigan, all with the mission of creating a meaningful gathering place.

Old Mission Distilling is all about celebrating what makes this region special—the land, the people, and the history. We take pride in using the best local ingredients, working with nearby farms and orchards to bring the flavors of Old Mission Peninsula into every bottle.

Whether you’re a cocktail enthusiast or just looking to enjoy a great drink in good company, we invite you to stop by. Our welcoming communal space, bar, and lounge provide the perfect backdrop for any occasion. Every glass is a small tribute to Old Mission Peninsula—a place we’re proud to call home.

It has been a full-circle journey—from launching brands in major markets to creating a meaningful space back home. Seven Hills and Old Mission Distilling are especially meaningful and personal to me.

Cheers to the past, the present, and the future of Old Mission Peninsula.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like any ambitious project, our journey has been anything but smooth. One of our biggest challenges was navigating a small township government with little experience handling commercial properties—largely because so few exist, and many have remained unchanged for decades, some for over a century. With little precedent for new developments like ours, outdated zoning laws, vague ordinances, and years of inconsistent enforcement turned what should have been a straightforward process into a frustrating, drawn-out battle. We found ourselves jumping through endless hoops, feeling as though much-needed ordinance updates were being drafted in real time, at our expense.

What kept us going was our unwavering belief that the community needed a gathering space like Seven Hills. We envisioned a place where locals and visitors could come together—to share a meal, a drink, creativity, and conversation— and that vision was too important to abandon. The overwhelming support from our community, who saw the project’s potential, gave us the drive to push forward.

Despite the obstacles, we stayed committed to our mission. The process was frustrating and exhausting at times, but we learned to navigate the bureaucracy while staying true to our vision. In the end, those challenges only made us more determined and even prouder of what we’ve built. It’s more than a business; it’s a place that truly belongs to the community.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in hospitality, branding, design, operations, and business development, creating intentional spaces and experiences that bring people together. My career blends brand-building, product development, and hospitality operations, combining creativity with strategy to develop concepts that feel authentic, intentional, and lasting.

I take a hands-on approach, ensuring every detail—no matter how small—reinforces the bigger vision. Whether designing a hospitality concept, launching a spirits brand, or curating guest experiences, I focus on creating meaningful and memorable connections.

I’m especially proud of Seven Hills and Old Mission Distilling, a project that reflects my passion for community, hospitality, and brand-driven experiences. More than a business, it’s a gathering place where locals and visitors feel at home.

What sets me apart is my ability to bridge creativity, branding, and operations. I strive to achieve this through thoughtful design, seamless service, and, most importantly, storytelling—ensuring every space or brand feels intentional and deeply connected to the people it serves.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
For me, success comes down to attention to detail and a deep sense of intentionality. Whether in branding, design, or hospitality, I believe the smallest details create the biggest impact. From how a space feels to how a story is told, every element should come together to create an experience that feels natural, seamless, and memorable.

Pricing:

• cocktails $6 – $15
• bottles of spirits $39 – $65
• we also offer wine by the bottle and glass
• local hard cider on draft
• local beer on draft

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oldmissiondistilling.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oldmissiondistilling/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oldmissiondistilling/
• Other: https://www.sevenhillstc.com/