Loyal Customers, Loyal Employees
ustomers don't come back to Van's week after week just for the selection and prices; both Jansens know the employees are critical to the business' success. "I can't say enough how much I appreciate the people who work here, including some that started at Van's before
C
ven though Ron was moving within the same industry, selling Jansen
Beverage and buying Van's was still a risky proposition. However, he needed a new challenge and didn't mind giving up a business that shared his name for one built on someone else's family's legacy.
I bought the store 25 years ago," Ron says. Jeff adds that employee longevity gives the store a family atmosphere, which has kept turnover to a minimum over the years. There are many customers, too, who've been com- ing to the store every week since the store was owned by the Vanderahs. "East Dubuque is a town of about 2,500
Big Risk, Big Rewards E
learning about the different varietals and giving himself a crash course in oenology. "After a while, when wine buy- ers came into the store I was finally able to talk to them," he adds.
When Jansen chose to "When I took over in 1987,
I was intent on keeping the Van's name," Jansen says. "I don't care about Ron Jansen, I care about Van's. It's been a landmark in East Dubuque since just after Prohibition." Coming from the beer
industry, Ron also knew very little about wine in 1987. "I knew every job in the house, but what did I know about wine? Nothing," he says. So he spent a week in Napa Valley, driving from winery to winery
move Van's to a new location in 1993, he faced another huge risk and a great oppor- tunity. The new store is closer to the Iowa border (in fact you can see it as you cross the bridge over the Mississippi River from Dubuque), has more than twice the storage of the old location and has dedicated parking. However, it was still a difficult decision to move. "It was quite a transition
from wholesale to retail," he says. "I was 42 years old in 1993 and I borrowed $1.3 mil- lion and really went out on a
36 • Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • July/August 2012
limb for the new store, but it all worked out." Would he take another risk and add a second Van's? "I really thought about opening another store when I was younger, but now the ball is in Jeff's court," Ron says. "I had to borrow money to stock my ware- house floors, but now there's enough money in the business so he could buy whatever he needs." While Jeff has considered opening a second location, he has three children under three years old. "So between managing the business I cur- rently have and the business on the home front, taking on more isn't advisable at this time," Jeff says. "There are opportunities out there and I won't rule it out, but right now the timing isn't right."
