6 Beverage Dynamics • September/October 2014
www.beveragedynamics.com
Editor-in-Chief
Richard Brandes
Tel: 212-353-3832
Fax: 212-353-8214
email: rbrandes@specialtyim.com
Digital Editor
Jeremy Nedelka
Tel: 203-855-8499 x213
email: jnedelka@specialtyim.com
Contributing Editors
Melissa Dowling Julie Johnson
Harriet Lembeck Melissa Niksic
Jack Robertiello Kate Strandness
Senior Regional Sales Manager
Bruce Kostic
Tel: 203-855-8499, ext. 215
bkostic@specialtyim.com
Senior Regional Sales Manager
Mark Marcon
Tel: 248-761-6231
mmarcon@specialtyim.com
Senior Regional Sales Manager
Debbie Rittenberg
Tel: 215-860-0306
drittenberg@specialtyim.com
Art Director
Adam Lane
Production Director
Cherri Perschmann
Tel: 763-383-4400, ext. 2425
cperschmann@epgmediallc.com
Senior Research Analyst
Adam Rogers
LIST RENTAL
MeritDirect, Jim Scova
email: jscova@MeritDirect.com
Tel: 914-368-1012
REPRINTS
Circulation and Audience Development Manager
Robin Cooper
email: rcooper@specialtyim.com
Sr VP/Audience Development Joanne Juda-Prainito
Sr VP/Finance & Operations Gerald Winkel
VP/Beverage Group Amy Collins
Senior Art Director Dodi Vessels
RETAILER EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Charles Bailes III ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Orlando,FL
Ralph Bondon Berbiglia's, Kansas City, MO
David Breitstein Duke of Bourbon, Canoga Park, CA
Jim Shpall Applejack Liquors, Wheat Ridge, CO
Hal Gershman Happy Harry's Bottle Shop, Grand Forks, ND
Ron Junge Brown Derby Stores, Springfi eld, MO
Ted Farrell Haskell's, Minneapolis, MN
Charles Sonnenberg Frugal MacDoogal's, Nashville, TN
Beverage Dynamics is published by
Specialty Information Media
Editorial and executive offi ces at 17 High St.,
2nd Fl., Norwalk, CT 06851
Telephone: 203-855-8499
Fax: 203-855-9446
Editor's
NOTE
LIGHTING OUT FOR THE TERRITORY
IN MAY 1990, I became editor of this magazine. I remember in the ensuing
months writing my fi rst story on American whiskey, an opus on light beer and
a profi le of Bayway Liquors, in Elizabeth, NJ, which is still in operation. That
was followed by a piece on Champagne and a story on merchandising luxury
spirits. It was a little scary at fi rst, because I was a novice in most things beverage
alcohol, but I continued to learn. And I'm still learning to this day, more than 24
years later.
It's not an original thought, but you turn around and two dozen years fl ash
by, and you look down at the half-price Metro card for seniors in your hand
and realize that if you're ever going to try something different, maybe now is
the time.
But it's not easy to leave, because even though it's a job, with its hassles and
boredom, it's still fun and interesting the rest of the time. So, what to do?
In my case, I listened to my 27-year-old son, who nudged me gently in this
direction by saying, "If not now, then when?"
So, I'm saying good-bye to a pretty cool job, covering a pretty cool industry
with lots of pretty cool people making a decent living doing all sorts of things.
First, there are the retailers, our primary readership. I've undoubtedly spoken
with hundreds of you through the years, and with few exceptions, you've always
gone out of your way to provide useful information to us and genuinely cooperate
in trying to describe and explain to us what it is you do. For that, I'm grateful.
Then, there are the wine, beer and spirits suppliers. Though they are often
busy, they have generally made the time to provide key information to help
us do the job of publicizing the latest products and trends that help defi ne the
industry.
I'm also grateful to the legions of public relations representatives, who are
endlessly cheerful in presenting their clients' many products and services, and
who have many times helped us to contact the right people for our stories.
Finally, I've been lucky to fi nd a group of writers who make it almost easy to
be an editor (notice I said "almost," guys and girls), and an art director, Adam
Lane, who is an ace at graphic design.
The new editor, Jeremy Nedelka, has been working with our beverage
magazines for the past several years, and I'm sure he'll do an excellent job. Just
to help out with the transition, I'm going to be hanging around for a couple of
months to advise Jeremy if he has any questions.
Then, in the words of the immortal Huck Finn: "I reckon I got to light out
for the territory." Maybe, if luck has it, I'll see some of you there.
Richard Brandes
Editor-in-Chief