Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/104187
by 70%, and with additional purchases of adjacent land, started looking around for a larger real estate parcel. there's room in the more than six-acre spot for a 320 car "In all honesty, this was a very challenging project. I wanted it to be different and interesting, not just big." parking lot and perhaps later on, a brewpub restaurant. He started combing the area for a location with the Making things more than a little interesting has been greatest promise in late 2010, and settled on a former car the near-simultaneous opening of the gourmet retail store, Premier Gourmet – a new take on the food and dealership that required environmental abatement. housewares business that Burt operated and sold years Located across the road from the Boulevard Mall, conago as Premier Cheese, now brought back into the fami- sidered one of the most upscale in the area and the second largest in Buffalo, the ly fold under the auspices of new Premier is close to two his two sons (Jon and Mark major roadways, two major also independently own university campuses, the Prestige Wines and Spirits in state's largest Tops superOrchard Park, NY, and market and one of its Premium Wines and Spirits, busiest Wegman's superin Williamsville, NY.). markets. Notarius moved It's also closer to Canada, Premier three times since and the many northerners 1969, locating at different routinely flooding across the spots along the same road in border in search of a wider the suburban Buffalo area, — Burt Notarius, selection of better-priced most recently in 1981. Premier Wine and Spirits While the recent move took wines and spirits; there's also been a spurt in online sales him barely 3.5 miles away, it resulted in a broader customer demographic and aware- to go with the mega store's enormous selection, making it ness as a regional destination that have customers flock- a go-to destination for Western New Yorkers and one of ing to the store. the largest beverage alcohol retailers in the country. " In all honesty, this was a very challenging project. I wanted it to be different and interesting, not just big. A Go-To Destination "I didn't move just to get bigger," says Burt, who notes that retail changes in the area of suburban Buffalo where he did business for so long made staying problematic, as did people's shopping patterns. His previous location had become more of a neighborhood shopping area rather than a regional destination. "With that happening, I was faced with the prospect of fighting the trend." Instead, with the encouragement of son Mark, he " Outstanding Selection, Competitive Prices "O ur position statement for the new store plays to two of our strengths – world class selections and amazing prices," he says. "Not the lowest, but we have very good prices over time, and the selection we have is outstanding." Along with the significantly bigger footprint, the new wine and spirits store is taller, too, 25 feet at maximum with some step downs, creating a spacious and open feel. 18 • Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • January/February 2013