Photo courtesy of Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits
Under Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer at Home order, liquor stores fall into the essential business category. As Milwaukeeans try to cling to some semblance of everyday normalcy during the current COVID-19 crisis, having that familiar glass of wine with dinner, that after-work beer or a virtual happy hour can comfort us as we look toward better times.
Steve Nord is the co-owner, general manager and spirits specialist at Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits, 2638 N. Downer Ave. His brother, Mark, and he had bought the business 15 years ago. “We saw a huge spike in business before it was determined that we’re an essential business,” he says. “Now that people know they can come to their neighborhood liquor store and shop, and we will be open, I’d say we’re back to a normal level of business with the same amount of people, but they are spending a little more money.”
Like many businesses that can remain open during the Safer at Home order, Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits has retooled by changing their hours; they’re now open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. to reduce exposure to the virus. They abide by the social distance rules by not letting the store get too crowded. They’re taking extra steps to clean every day and have introduced an informal curbside pickup. Orders can be placed over the phone and arrange for when they will stop in. “People are starting to understand, at least for the time being, that this is a new normal out there,” Steve says.
Steve says Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits has three departments, wine, beer and liquor, and sales are mostly even among all three. “We cram a lot stuff in our store,” Steve notes. “We try to get unique products in all three categories, plus some of the crazy liqueurs. We probably have 30 to 50 specialty liqueurs and aperitif.”
Scotch aficionados can find up to 50 different kinds. Steve says bourbon is currently hot. They carry national brands as well bourbon by local distilleries like J. Henry & Sons, based in Dane County. Product from other local distilleries like Great Lakes Distillery are on the shelves. Steve says they’ve also expanded their tequila selection by about 25 percent over the last six months.
From a wine standpoint, Steve says they try to differentiate themselves by finding good wines that aren’t in main wine shops and grocery stores. They carry a large selection of red and white kosher wines, non-alcoholic wines and natural wines—a category which Steve says is quickly growing. “It’s different from organic, and different from wines with no added sulfites. It’s biodynamic.”
There are no legal definitions of biodynamic wine, but Wine Spectator defines biodynamic wine made with, “grapes that are farmed biodynamically, and that the winemaker did not make the wine with any common manipulations such as yeast additions or acidity adjustments.”
Steve remarks there’s an interest in saké, an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting rice. They carry about 15 different kinds. Another emerging category is ready-to-drink (RDT), which includes premade cocktails, canned wines and hard seltzers.
The craft beer boom over the last decade has brought myriad choices for beer connoisseurs. Steve says they get in an average of 10 new craft beers per week and rotate stock. “The whole beer industry is changing super quick, with a lot of new stuff on the market. Almost everything that’s coming in right now is in cans. A lot of new breweries aren’t even doing bottles.”
The current COVID-19 crisis has shone a spotlight on how small businesses are the fabric of our community, and Steve expresses much gratitude. “Mark and I really appreciate our employees, the community support and our customers,” he enthuses.
For more information, visit downerwineandspitits.com.
