Gulf Distributing Co. has officially opened its new headquarters inside the historic Press-Register building in downtown Mobile, marking a $60 million investment that combines the company’s growth with preservation of one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
Last week, a ribbon-cutting event, hosted alongside the Mobile Chamber of Commerce, drew community, business, and industry leaders. Guests toured the restored facility and joined a downtown celebration that highlighted Gulf’s partner restaurants and beverage brands.
“We’re thrilled to officially open the doors at Gulf’s new headquarters in the former Press-Register building,” said Louis Maisel, chief operating officer of Gulf Distributing. “This expansion marks a bold chapter for our company—transforming a downtown Mobile landmark into a modern, state-of-the-art facility where we will continue to lead our industry in innovation, operational efficiency, and workforce growth.”
The 243,000-square-foot facility will serve as the company’s central hub for corporate operations, training, and distribution. Gulf officials said the renovation transforms the 1950s-era building into one of the most advanced beverage distribution centers in the Southeast.
The new warehouse features automated storage and retrieval systems, AI-based load recognition, and pallet microchip tracking—technology designed to boost accuracy and reduce manual labor. Company leaders say the innovations will improve driver safety and efficiency while strengthening Gulf’s customer network across the Gulf Coast.
“This new headquarters brings us home,” said Elliot Maisel, CEO and chairman of Gulf Distributing Holdings LLC. “It honors our family’s roots in Mobile while positioning Gulf to better serve our customers and communities across Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, and southern Mississippi.”
City leaders praised the project for its contribution to local revitalization and job creation.
“Gulf Distributing is part of Mobile’s story,” said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. “This new headquarters preserves a local landmark while also creating jobs and strengthening the downtown economy. It is truly a game-changer.”
As part of the opening celebration, Gulf Distributing donated $10,000 to Calloway-Smith Middle School, located near the new headquarters. Principal Nedra Payton and Superintendent Chresal Threadgill accepted the contribution on behalf of the school.
“We want to be a good neighbor in every sense of the word,” Maisel said. “Before my mother, Freida Maisel, founded Gulf, she spent 30 years teaching seventh grade in the Mobile County Public School System. Supporting Calloway-Smith is a way for us to honor her legacy and begin what we hope will be a long and meaningful relationship with the school and its students.”
That evening, Gulf invited the public to celebrate downtown by visiting local bars and restaurants offering specials on the company’s beverage brands, including Miller Lite, Coors Light, Red Bull, Modelo, Twisted Tea, Abita, Yuengling, White Claw, and others.
“We’re proud to call downtown Mobile home just steps from the riverfront where it all began 50 years ago,” Maisel added. “This milestone isn’t just about our company’s growth—it’s about honoring the people, the places, and the partnerships that have shaped us.”
The project was supported through public-private partnerships with UBCD, United Bank, Truist Community Capital, Truist Bank, and Regions Bank—reflecting a shared investment in downtown Mobile’s economic future.
Founded in 1973 by Freida G. Maisel—Alabama’s first woman to own a beer distributorship—Gulf Distributing today operates across Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, and Mississippi. The family-owned company employs roughly 1,300 people and partners with more than 140 suppliers.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected]
