Herman Henry Hingslage was born in Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany. He emigrated to America in 1851 and emigrated through Ellis Island. He settled in New York City where he worked as a grocer at 203 Grand, then at 212 west 18th Street. He evolved his business during the 1880s into selling alcoholic beverages, and opened a liquor store in what is now the Tribeca neighborhood in 1885. In 1896 he became president of the Consumers Brewing Co. of New York City. A gig that sadly would last only a couple of years, as he died on September 16th 1899.