Choice Wine and Beer is on the second floor of the Wheaton Mall, adjacent to Costco. Co-owner Nick Gardner arguably has the most enchanting smile in all of Montgomery County. He sat down with me for 40 minutes giving an extremely positive view of his store and the county’s wine and beer industry.
What’s the history of Choice Wine and Beer?
This store has been in operation for about 12 years. The first owner was Kirti Patel, who opened it the same day that Costco opened in the Wheaton Mall. He realized that a lot of people will be going to Costco, and that a portion of that foot traffic will find a way into Choice Wine and Beer.
I started working for Kirti in 2021. Tracy Vargo bought the store from Kirti in that year, and I continued to work for him. In 2024 Tracy wanted to focus on his other operations, and brought me on as a managing partner.
What do you like best about your store?
Honestly, it’s about community.
When I was in Ohio I worked at a small winery. I got to know some of the other wine makers, and we kept in touch long after I left. When I started working here I became very good friends with the wine buyer at the time. I later started meeting the local brewers and their representatives. Every single person I’ve met in the region’s craft beer and wine industry has been very supportive and welcoming. Even other retail store owners have been very helpful.
I’ve also become quite friendly with our regular customers. About 80% of our customers are regulars because they often shop at Costco. I’ve even had the opportunity to go out to a bar with them and enjoy some beers.
It’s interesting that you highlight the social aspects of this business. You don’t highlight the profitability.
I’m not going to get rich off this store, and I’m fine with that. I get my satisfaction from the vendors and the customers.
For example, people all over are losing their jobs, and I was wondering what could I do to alleviate that situation? I made a large order from a local brewery that was willing to give me a generous discount. I was able to sell their beer for $9.99 a six pack. Compare that to the similar offering from Corona, which I sell at $11.99 a six pack. In effect, I’m taking just a stocking fee and donating the rest of the profit. As a result I’m able to offer my customers a better product for a lower price, something that people appreciate during these difficult times.
Another great thing about this location is the diversity of people who come into the store. Sometimes I get amusing interactions. In some parts of the world it’s perfectly OK to walk around a shopping mall with an open can of beer or wine, so an occasional customer will buy a six-pack and then go to open one of the cans as he walks out of the store. In those cases I explain that alcoholic beverages must be kept sealed in the mall. Also, when I was working in Ohio, I hardly saw people from backgrounds different from mine. In the Wheaton Mall, all sorts of people are walking around, and it’s a great feeling.
What’s your most popular item?
Starting this year, we’ve sold more local beer than beer from national brands. I’ve actually been promoting local beers because they are generally better and less expensive than the nationwide brands.
Wine is a bit difficult to characterize. There isn’t a single product that is much more popular than the others.
What are some of the local breweries you buy from?
Mostly 7 Locks Brewing, Clear Skies Meadery, Brookeville Beer Farm, Denizens, and Silver Branch Brewing Company. The beers from those breweries are my best sellers!
You have to buy much of your inventory through the county’s Alcoholic Beverage Service. How does that affect your operations?
ABS is the perfect example of a middleman that nobody asked for.
I’ve worked in other types of retail. When I call a sales rep with an order, that sales rep delivers the item directly to me. With ABS it’s more complicated. I call the brewery’s sales rep, who then delivers the merchandise to ABS, and then ABS delivers it to me. In the meantime ABS takes a 30% markup.
That 30% markup is a big problem. There are some beers here that are cheaper in other states. I have one beer that I purchase from ABS for $25 a bottle. I can get it in Virginia for about $15, and in Ohio for $10.
As with any large government bureaucracy, there is little customer service. Suppose I get a delivery and two boxes are damaged in the delivery. In the private sector, I call the wholesaler who will come by the next day, take a look, issue a credit and send me a replacement. With ABS I need to hold on to the merchandise for one to two weeks before they come by and pick it up. Similarly, earlier this year Corona was out of stock for a couple of weeks. I had no one at ABS to contact about that.
That being said, the front line workers at ABS are fabulous. I’m on great terms with the delivery crews that come by. Even they complain about ABS’s management.
Another huge downside is that some brewers have become so frustrated with ABS that they’ve stopped selling to them. That, in turn, means that I cannot offer those products to my customers.
ABS is so mismanaged that even after keeping the 30% markup they pass on to us retailers, they cannot run their stores profitably. That came out in recent County Council hearings.
Is it true that an ABS store will open in Wheaton Mall? How would that affect you?
This scenario is the only one that made me angry since working here. ABS is both a wholesaler and a retailer. As I mentioned before, these stores sometimes operate at a deficit. They are able to operate with much smaller markups than small wine and beer stores in part because they are the only chain alcohol sellers allowed in Montgomery County and can cash in on quantity discounts from suppliers that are far outside the purview of small businesses. If they really do open in Wheaton Mall, I’ll be in a very tough situation. They’ve promised me that they will not sell all of the same products that I do, but who will hold them to a verbal agreement?
Is there any way to avoid working with ABS?
Retailers and brewers can avoid ABS under certain circumstances. I’m not entirely sure about the specifics, but I believe it has to do with the number of bottles produced. Small breweries such as 7 Locks are not required to sell to ABS, and that’s why I can buy directly from them. One of the reasons I sell so much local craft beer is to avoid dealing with ABS.
Is any beer and wine store owner happy with ABS?
I haven’t found one, maybe you’ll have better luck.
If your younger self told you he wanted to own a wine and beer store, what advice would you give him?
Don’t open this business because you want to make money and have an easy life. You’ll work 60 hours a week, and those aren’t 60 hours of relaxation.
Make sure this business—any business—is something that you love. Make sure you love the products. Just as important, make sure you’ll use your business to make the world a better place.
Choice Wine and Beer
11160 Viers Mill Rd
Silver Spring, MD 20902 (map)
[Weaton Mall, 2nd Floor, adjacent to Costco]
301-933-3482
[Lead image: Nick Gardner (left) with trusted employee José]
