About Remus Repeal Reserve

George Remus, dubbed the “King of the Bootleggers,” was a famous bootlegger during Prohibition, exploiting loopholes in the Volstead Act to distill bourbon. Born in 1878 in Germany, he settled in Chicago with his family in the 1880s. In his teens he worked in his uncle’s pharmacy, later becoming the owner. It was there that he acquired experience that would prove invaluable during Prohibition, and the pharmacy would serve as the foundation for his empire.

He switched careers, going into law and eventually becoming a trial defense attorney — gathering even more useful skills. Once Prohibition was starting to wind up, he would defend many bootleggers, taking note of the riches they managed to amass. Once the Volstead Act was enacted, he found a way to circumvent it and provide a steady stream of spirits for his budding bootlegging operation. The empire expanded and Remus eventually had 3,000 workers as well as politicians on his payroll, briefly living a lavish lifestyle that reportedly inspired The Great Gatsby.