Bobby Slattery comes from a long line of entrepreneurs. The Cincinnati native grew up believing he could achieve anything he set his mind on – a passion he said his father, who’s also a prominent businessman, instilled in him.
After his college days at Ohio University (the No. 1 party school), he went to Chicago, where he met his wife, and eventually returned to the Queen City to help manage his father’s restaurant Slatts Pub & Grill in Blue Ash.
In 2012, Slattery opened Fifty West Brewing Company, a brewery and burger joint that he aimed to make family-friendly. More than a decade later, Slattery expanded his business in 2024 by venturing into the THC-infused drink realm, launching Sunflower THC seltzers.
In doing so, Fifty West Brewing Co. became one of the largest manufacturers and sellers of THC-infused drinks in Southwest Ohio. The beverages have seen tremendous growth since they were introduced, with Slattery comparing it to the craft beer frenzy his brewery enjoyed when it launched in 2012.
Although Sunflower has been tremendously successful, it’s been an ongoing fight to keep the drinks on shelves as Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine outlawed the beverages in what Slattery called a “modern-day Prohibition.”
Ohio companies can resume selling THC drinks (for now)
The fight over THC drinks began on Oct. 8 when Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a 90-day ban on the sale of intoxicating hemp products, such as THC-infused gummies and beverages sold in gas stations, tap rooms and retail shops.
Then, DeWine signed Senate Bill 56 into law on Dec. 19. It initially included a grace period for THC beverages that would have permitted breweries, bars and retailers to sell the drinks through 2026. DeWine vetoed that provision, meaning the drinks couldn’t be sold after March 20.
It would take a few months and several trips to Ohio’s capital, but on Aug. 7, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Helmick granted a 14-day restraining order allowing 14 businesses to sell THC beverages while their lawsuit against the state moves forward.
Among the 14 businesses are two Cincinnati breweries: Rhinegeist and Fifty West Brewing Company LLC. Helmick also granted a preliminary injunction in a separate lawsuit on July 13 that allows businesses, including Cincinnati-based Urban Artifact, to sell THC drinks and other hemp products.
To learn more about Slattery, his brewing company 50 West and Sunflower THC drinks, as well as his fight to keep the drinks legal, take a listen to the “That’s So Cincinnati” podcast at the top of the page.
“That’s So Cincinnati,” The Enquirer’s weekly podcast on what’s making news in our community, features a who’s who of special guests. Find it at Audioboom, Apple or your favorite podcast platform.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bobby Slattery joins ‘That’s So Cincinnati’ after THC drink victory
Reporting by Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
