Jen Swiatek is the co-owner of the Beverage Warehouse in Winooski, but she’ll also answer to “Libation Hooligan.” Her ex-husband, George Bergin, who is also co-owner, goes by “Company Ogre,” while longtime general manager Todd Delbeck’s business card says “Rock Star.” It’s a subtle yet revealing glimpse into the spirit of a shop that has become a go-to destination throughout the region. “The Beverage Warehouse itself is an icon,” Swiatek says. “It’s an old cement warehouse that was the first screen-making company in the country.” Swiatek’s parents owned the store originally, and she and her then-husband Bergin bought it in 2003. She describes the interior design of the space as “doorways created by throwing dynamite through it.” “We haven’t really touched that charm,” Swiatek says. “People ask why we haven’t done renovations or sealed the floors, and it’s because it’s the Bevie.
From left to right: George Bergin, Jen Swiatek and Todd Delbeck.
People have been coming here for years and it’s a constant. When they come back in here, there’s a sense of nostalgia that can’t be replaced with bright lights and shiny things. I’m emotionally attached to it. My parents – they worked here so hard. I see my parents in all the corners here.” Another constant is general manager Delbeck, who has 36 years in the Bevie. “What has kept me here? They haven’t taken the chains off me,” Delbeck says, laughing. “I truly like working with people. It’s the people who come in the store who make it different.” Delbeck, who came to his “Rock Star” title thanks to his six-string skills in the band Sand Blizzard, is as much an attraction at the shop as the massive selection of craft brews, wine and spirits. “People bring him gifts,” Swiatek says. “They bring him so much food that I don’t know why he’s not 800 pounds.
They may come in for a bottle of vodka, but they’re here to see Todd. People really like him.” Customers also flock to the Bevie for its reliable Heady Topper supply, the growler bar and the vast selection of Vermont liquors. “All Vermonters are proud of their products, but we can also help them with the great confirmation of superior products here,” Swiatek says. “There are lines for Heady Topper and SOS and all the incredible beers, but we also have tastings and make sure people have tried Smuggler’s Notch Vodka or WhistlePig Rye or Barr Hill Gin – which is soul-stopping with how amazing it is.”
Toward that end, Bergin visits WhistlePig in Shoreham to hand-select a barrel of its renowned rye to offer customers at the Beverage Warehouse. “The single barrels have been really well- received by the public,” Bergin says of his selections. “More of us are working hand-in-hand with distilleries to offer things like this.” In the end, however, it’s the people who flock to the shop – located between the University of Vermont, Saint Michael’s College and just off Main Street, (though, Delbeck is quick to point out that “it’s not just the students” who make up the loyal customer base) – that fill it with local color. “It’s an incredibly esoteric range of people here, and we appreciate that,” Swiatek says. “One minute I’m helping a judge pick out a bottle of wine, the next minute it’s a member of Phish. We get people from every walk of life and we’re interested in getting to know them.” And it’s not always just the shoppers. “We know peoples’ dog’s names, their favorite sports teams – and we make fun of them as long as we know they’re cool with it,” Swiatek says. “We keep dog biscuits behind the counter.” A large part of the store’s culture is its employees’ willingness to get involved in the community. It’s a point of pride for the Beverage Warehouse’s owners, who point out that the team regularly donates time and effort to local charities year-round.
The team recently raised $6,000 in 24 hours for Hops for Hunger, ran down Church Street in the cold while carrying kegs for another charity, and another employee, who is bilingual and often helps Canadian shoppers, volunteered to help set up a food bank website. “A lot of stores will stress customer service,” Swiatek says. “But here it’s the customer experience. If someone comes in with a question, we have such a diverse group – former bartenders, former professional chefs – we have so much experience to pull from.” It’s roster of multi-talented workers also includes a particularly clever employee who is responsible for the Bevie’s often hysterical and creative web presence. Jason Dennis’s Photoshop skills draw a lot of eyeballs to the shop’s sites, making the most of his beverage experience and his unique sense of humor. Of course, he also has an alternate job title: “Jason Dennis – Beer and Wine Kraken.” “We try to have fun,” Swiatek laughs. “It’s a serious business, but we try to make life more palatable by being a little quirky ourselves.” “People have been coming here for years and it’s a constant. When they come back in here, there’s a sense of nostalgia that can’t be replaced with bright lights and shiny things.”