BY KYLE SWARTZ
Wine , Beer , And Spirits has thrived in Nebraska during Covid-19 .
From left : Jacob Heiliger and Aaron Konen of Wine , Beer , And Spirits .
“
Every entrepreneur needs a little bit of luck starting out ,” says Aaron Konen , CFO and co-founder of the fast-growing Nebraska-based chain , Wine , Beer , and Spirits . “ For us , we timed it right , but certainly not on purpose .”
Only luck could have provided timing so perfect . In late 2019 , Aaron and cofounders Beau Starkel and Jacob Heiliger — now CEO and COO , respectively — were in the process of opening their first store when Covid-19 hit . Rapid growth followed for that Omaha Wine , Beer , and Spirits , approximately 30,000-square-feet and 7,500 SKUs . A second , equally sized location opened in Lincoln in December of 2020 , followed by a third , around 50,000 square feet , in the city of Grand Island , NE , in August 2021 .
“ All three stores are performing well , with a $ 30 million run rate ,” Konen says . “ It ’ s no small feat , getting all that done during Covid .”
Burnishing this accomplishment , the founding team did not originate from a retail background .
THE RIGHT REAL ESTATE Wine , Beer , and Spirits is a college dream come true .
Konen and Starkel became friends while attending graduate school together . Later , they opened several successful taprooms together . While still in college , they frequented Brix , a large alcohol retailer in Omaha . The pair noted the store ’ s good reputation and consistent foot traffic , but also its needlessly expensive interiors and other questionable management .
If Konen and Starkel ever got the necessary funds , they vowed to open a largescale alcohol retailer , but more in the vein of Costco . “ We wanted to focus on the customer , having good breadth of products at fair prices , and just having fun ,” Konen says .
Years later , having succeeded with taprooms , the entrepreneurs returned their attention to off-premise . Part of their plan involved purchasing their own real estate outright — and cheaply . A bankruptcy trustee led them to the area ’ s former Toys " R " Us , which had closed .
12 Beverage Dynamics • September / October 2022 www . beveragedynamics . com