EDITOR ' S NOTE

The 8th annual Beverage Alcohol Retailers Conference ( BARC ) was a huge success ! Wine and liquor store retailers from across the U . S . congregated at the Hyatt Regency in Schaumburg , IL for three days that were jam-packed with track sessions , panel discussions , networking receptions , keynote presentations and even an off-site store visit to Garfield ’ s Beverage .

As the first ever BARC event I ’ ve attended , I have to say that it definitely exceeded my expectations . Throughout those few days , I was constantly surrounded by friendly faces and learned more about the industry than I even thought I could . Just as I think I have the beverage alcohol industry fully understood , conversations with a few veterans in the field reminds me that I still have a lot to learn . It makes me excited for many future BARC events to come !

A more detailed coverage of BARC can be found in this issue , and we also cover our Top 100 Retailers for 2024 — the main highlight of this issue , of course . While we spotlight a select few stores and dive deep into their recipes for success , the full list of winners were announced and recognized at the BARC conference .

It ’ s very interesting to see how each independent retailer stands out in a sea of liquor stores across the nation . While Wine , Beer , & Spirits in NE put bars in their stores to offer better customer experiences , Top Ten Liquors in MN puts a particular focus on meeting each customer in the aisle to offer great experiences . Williquors in ND and SD strategically place their stores in high-volume locations to reach customers , while both Pioppi ’ s Package Store in MA and Gold ’ s Wine & Spirits in RI are heavily involved in their local communities to reach new and existing customers . By rearranging their store and constantly making improvements , Bagley Liquor in MN keeps loyal shoppers coming back for more .

And of course , Missouri-based Macadoodles was recognized as Retailer of the Year for the second year in a row .

Read more about each of these remarkable retailers in this Top 100 issue of Beverage Dynamics to see if there are any good ideas you can start implementing .

Beverage Group Vice President Jeremy Nedelka Tel : 763-383-4413 email : jnedelka @ epgacceleration . com

Editor , Off-Premise Kyle Swartz Tel : 763-383-4447 email : kswartz @ epgacceleration . com

Trade Managing Editor Krystina Skibo Tel : 763-383-4419 email : kskibo @ epgacceleration . com

Contributing Editors Melissa Dowling , Marnie Old , Tom Shay

National Account Director Debbie Rittenberg Tel : 763-383-4455 email : drittenberg @ epgacceleration . com

Marketing and Engagement Sales Manager Jamie Boldt Tel : 763-383-4456 email : jboldt @ epgacceleration . com

Associate Managing Art Director Nicole Siewert

Senior Product Manager , Data & Insights Marina Velez Tel : 763-383-4453 email : mvelez @ epgacceleration . com

List Rental Kris Grauer email : kgrauer @ npsmediagroup . com Tel : 203-822-7933

Reprints For more information on e-prints or reprints from Beverage Dynamics magazine , visit https :// epgacceleration . com / marketing-services / or email us at info @ epgacceleration .

Sr VP / Audience Development Joanne Juda-Prainito Corporate Operations Director Bernadette Wohlman CEO Marion Minor

Krystina Skibo Trade Managing Editor

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Beverage Dynamics is published by EPG Brand Acceleration Editorial and executive offices at 7760 France Avenue South , Suite 810 , Bloomington , MN 55435 .

4 Beverage Dynamics • 2024 Top 100 Issue www . beveragedynamics . com