machine ,” Cox recalls . “ I bought one , and it paid for itself in three months . So I bought a second machine with more capacity . They ’ ve both already paid for themselves , producing dollars every day .”
Due to staffing and other issues , Wine World was slow to incorporate alcohol delivery . So while attending a Guild meeting in Washington , Cox connected with fellow member Marques Warren , of Downtown Spirits , who had already incorporated delivery services .
“ He gave me and my sales manager a seminar on delivery ,” Cox says . “ How valuable is that ! We got to skip all the mistakes we would have made . And Marques said , ‘ Anytime you need refreshing , give me a call . I ’ m happy to help .’”
This level of education extends to sources Kreston ’ s Wine & Spirits in Delaware has thrived during four generations of family ownership . from outside of the Guild , as well .
“ Presently , we have more expert speakers from both inside and outside the industry that make presentations at meetings ,” says Herman . “ Our tradeshow , expertly run by Mark Herman , is now geared toward tasting new items , and meeting and learning from new suppliers , not only from the wine and spirits industry , but also from other areas of retail and business . We review the productivity of the tradeshow at each meeting and give immediate feedback to suppliers .”
“ We hear a lot about out of state chains and warehouse membership stores that have vast sales volume , but when you look at the Wine and Spirits Guild of America ’ s sales volume , you see that combined we are among the top sellers ,” Herman adds . “ The WSGA member stores are where brands are built , and strong local relationships are developed and maintained with wholesalers and suppliers and our customers .”
Cultivating these connections is critical for individual businesses and the industry at large .
“ Communication is fundamental to the guild ,” says Guild President David Jabour , President of Twin Liquors in Texas . “ Being in a regulated industry , it ’ s incumbent upon us that we ’ re all communicating . In absence of that , we ’ re getting siloed and separated . Instead , our communications and relationship-building have fostered the growth of the industry and the brands that we ’ ve developed for the last 75 years .”
“ Communication is relationship-building ,” Jabour adds . “ The essence of the Guild from the outset has been to foster communications among all three tiers of the industry . And that holds true through today .”
THE GUILD EVOLVES While the role of the Guild as a critical tool for communication remains unchanged , the organization has since evolved into other areas of opportunity . Often , this has reflected external developments in the industry , as well as our broader social / economic landscape .
Zachy ’ s Wine and Liquor in Scarsdale , NY , which also manages an international wine auction business .
www . beveragedynamics . com January 2023 • Beverage Dynamics 11