by KYLE SWARTZ

The company started nearly 90 years ago. In 1937, Founder Leonard Greenbaum launched Green ' s Package Store on a street-front location on Ponce De Leon Ave. in Midtown Atlanta.“ He was a very smart guy,” says Lock Reddic, Greenbaum’ s grandson-in-law, and current CEO of the family business.“ He had a boatload of common sense. He had grocery as well, and he ran his business through common sense practices.”

It worked. For years, Greenbaum successfully operated this initial location as a standalone store. Then in the 1960s, Greenbaum’ s son Jerry joined the family business, after serving in the military.

“ When my father-in-law came in, he put us on steroids,” Reddic says.“ He was an entrepreneur. He found ways to expand the business.”

This meant growing the number of stores significantly, and into other markets, including another state. In 1977, while visiting Myrtle Beach, SC, Jerry noticed that the area lacked a large-format liquor store. He believed that he could meet that need. Just before Christmas of that year, Green’ s expanded into South Carolina.

The larger location quickly earned a loyal customer base. The Myrtle Beach spot became the leading volume store in the entire state. Tourists and locals alike enjoyed what was, at the time, the biggest selection of liquor, beer and wine around.

Jerry continued to develop the family business, entering different industries. A true entrepreneur, he had a keen eye for consumer need. As a lifelong foodie who loved eating out, he observed in the 1980s that Columbia, SC had virtually no dining establishments. So he opened California Dreaming, a restaurant based on a spot Jerry enjoyed in Atlanta.( He even hired the head of kitchen from that inspirational Georgia business.)

Again, his hunch proved on point. California Dreaming thrived in South Carolina. Helping fuel the restaurant’ s success was Jerry working there five days a week for the first year, Reddic recalls. This is a testament to the effort and dedication required to turn one’ s entrepreneurial spirit into physical reality.

“ He fell in love with that place and kept opening new restaurants,” Reddic says. Today, California Dreaming and the other on-premise businesses continue to operate as a separate business, with family involvement.

As he grew his restaurant company,

12 Beverage Dynamics • Summer 2026 www. beveragedynamics. com