Beverage Dynamics Winter 2024 | Page 13

was working the door , a local police captain came in to pick up alcohol for a department function . Coram did not miss the opportunity for a joke .
“ I told one of my customers that the cop was here for my father ,” he recalls with a laugh . “ I said that someone was mouthy to my father and my father tossed this guy on the ground , and I had to call the cop on my dad . And the customer believed me !”
It ’ s part of a genuine family atmosphere that helps uplift the store . How do Coram ’ s kids feel about this business arrangement ?
“ It ’ s good ,” says Matt . “ It ’ s a unique challenge , as well . Dad has been in the industry since 1982 . He was on the distributor side for 16 years . That offers him a unique perspective . I ’ m more headstrong and he definitely reigns me in , because he ’ s seen so much more in the industry .”
“ Sometimes it ’ s super fun , and sometimes it ’ s challenging ,” adds Abbey . “ I ’ ve worked for other people . It ’ s different . When you and your family own your own business , you can scramble more . If there ’ s a family emergency , it ’ s an emergency for all of us . It ’ s helpful that we own a bigger store . That way we ’ re not all on top of each other but can have our own space .”
As with any family business , the question of succession is inevitable .
“ Dad is going to slow down soon and that means we will be taking a bigger role and co-leading the place ,” says Matt .
“ There are going to be pros and cons ,” says Abbey . “ Having [ dad ] around right now , knowing everything that he knows about the business , it ’ ll be different when he ’ s gone . It ’ s going to be different thinking , ‘ Should we do this or that ?’”
“ We ’ ll still discuss what we should do with him , still ask for his opinions of course ,” she adds . “ We know that he ’ s not going to abandon us and leave us high and dry .”
Cold beverages are a big advantage at Chilly ' s , which boasts a 500-square-foot walk-in cooler ( above ) and 36 doors full of cold beers , RTDs and other products .
COLD ADVANTAGE
Indiana has unique beer retail laws . While grocers , convenience stores and pharmacies are all allowed to sell beer , they cannot offer these products cold . They can only sell them warm .
Off-premise businesses ( including breweries ) can retail beer cold , however . This provides a significant advantage for

Keep

warm with a

Hot Toddy this holiday season

Imported by Marussia Beverages USA | Cedar Knolls , NJ | ABV : 35 % | PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY www . beveragedynamics . com Winter 2024 • Beverage Dynamics 13