Martin Wine Cellar
22 Beverage Dynamics • May/June 2015
www.beveragedynamics.com
of wine or whiskey to have for dinner that night or on the
weekend. Our food business grew and it also helped us expand
our retail business."
Although the food side of the Martin's business never ac-
counted for more than 12% of the company's bottom line, it
continued to flourish over the next decade. In the late 1980s,
Cedric changed the deli counter into more of a bistro at-
mosphere by hiring a full-time chef, removing the wooden
counter and adding tables to increase the seating capacity
to 70. He also revamped the menu to include daily specialty
lunch plates, homemade soups and other items. Additionally,
Cedric launched a catering side to the business and added a
glassware rental option so that Martin Wine Cellar became a
one-stop shop for local party planners.
"The store became very diversified at that time. It was a
destination point for a lot of people," Cedric says. "We had
products that were hard to find, and our customers knew that
if we didn't have something, we would get it for them."
To keep up with the company's continued
growth, David secured an old movie theater
and turned that building into a second Martin
Wine Cellar location in Metairie, Louisiana. The
7,800-square-foot location was outfitted with an-
other bistro/deli, along with a reception and tasting
room for special events.
In 1993, the business secured a 72,000-square-
foot warehouse on Bienville Street in New Orleans
to store additional product inventory and to house
the company's corporate offices. The warehouse
also became the new location for the Martin Wine
"Our employees'
passion for wine
rubbed off on our
customers, and we
were able to keep
our business going."
– Cedric Martin
