Wine biz question...

[John Moore]

Hi guys,

I have a wine related question that was raised the other day in a casual conversation with a close friend that wants to open up a wine shop in Chicago, IL.

The question is that how do you go about finding ALL the licensed wine suppliers in your state (in this case...Illinois).

I mean we want the full list of suppliers that we may contact for wholesale wine needs that we may have. So, do we call the Illinois liquor control commission and ask them or what else should we do???

Please help us as we have been getting unfruitful answers from most "people in the biz".

[Kcwhippet]

I really can't say for IL, but here in MA there's a book put out by the state called the Beverage Journal. It lists ALL licensed distributors/wholesalers in MA and their portfolios. I would suspect there's something similar in other states. You might want to contact the ILCC and see what they have. I mean, there has to be a registry of these folks somewhere.

[John Moore]

Thanks a bunch KC, if anyone has any other ideas or thoughts besides this one by KC, please post it.

Thanks again KC...!!!

[Bucko]

A call to the state liquor control board is where I would start.

[John Moore]

Thanks a lot Bucko will do...!

[wineguruchgo]

The largest is Southern by far. They just/are taking over Distinctive. I also know of Divisor, Pure, Heritage, Judge & Dolph. I'm sure there are more but I can't remember them right now.

As I think of them I will post back here.

[John Moore]

Thanks wineguruchicago this really helps.