Main Street Business

Monday mornings were supposed to be a quiet time to interview Dylan Baker, Sharon Package Store’s permittee and partner since 2015. I observed Dylan as he greeted customers by name, held a small white dog while its human was writing a check, put up a flyer for a local nonprofit, ordered some new craft beers from a salesman, sent cash and checks to the bank, and sold beer from his singles cooler. Standing at the counter while taking notes, I realized the store, on Gay Street in Sharon, CT, was a community hub, an essential part of the town.

Wow, this store has been here for 85 years?

Actually, the store itself was rebuilt in 2012 when the owner of 40 years retired, but the liquor permit was first granted in 1941. We hold the longest issued liquor permit in the state of Connecticut. When I became the fourth permittee in 2015, the community embraced my wife and me, after 40+ years under the previous owner. We still operate under the original name, although occasionally “out-of-towners” are confused and come in with boxes to ship. “Package store” is a New England designation for a retail outlet selling all types of spirits. In the old days, it was illegal to purchase an alcoholic beverage in a New England state without it being in a “package” (box or bag). The name has never been changed and won’t.

What changes did you make?

We reorganized the entire store; updated the inventory to include more imported wines, craft beers, and specialty liquors; and situated the temperature-controlled wine cave to display some of the world’s most fascinating wines, while they mature over time. We have also established a firm following of customers who use our establishment to cater their most important events (including weddings, fund raisers, and graduations). 

How’s business?

All the changes we made when we took over the store paid off during COVID. Our store remained open for business although we didn’t let customers inside. We ran it like an ice cream shop. We had a table outside where we took orders, then we picked the proper items from the shelves and ran through the sales as customers waited patiently outside. It was incredibly busy. 

Since then, peak worldwide alcohol sales have fallen sharply, and now our industry as a whole has been affected significantly by tariffs, inflation, health trends, and marijuana dispensaries along with the constant threat that super markets could soon be allowed to carry wine on their shelves. Traditionally owning a liquor store was regarded as a low-risk, no-fail business. Not anymore. It’s like a speed bump.

Have your customers changed?

Since COVID there has been a big change. Local, regular customers have sold their homes and moved, while new people from out-of-town have taken their place. New customers. New products. And with fluctuating tariffs, inflation, and uncertainty, customers have been switching to lower priced items, finding the best bargains for their palate, as the chaos unravels.

How do tariffs affect you?

Tariffs have increased prices on nearly everything we sell and the parts and services that go into the products, including aluminum for cans, glass for bottles, barrels, corks, transportation, and fertilizer for vineyards. All the essential stuff for our industry and, to make things worse, the uncertainty in pricing makes it nearly impossible to plan. Tariffs are constantly changing, and we struggle not knowing how much a product will cost when we order it. The frustration is not knowing what to expect.

How are you handling the health and drinking issues?

Sharon is a hub of all types of doctors, clinics, and the hospital. Clients have frequently come by post-appointment and told us that their doctor’s recommendation is for them to cut down on drinking. Which is good. We love our customer base and wish them good health always, despite the quandary. This is not just a Sharon trend; it is a nation-wide trend. Non-alcoholic wines, beer, liquor, and ready-to-drink nonalcoholic cocktails are becoming increasingly important to the health of our customers and the future of our business. We now stock a plethora of all new and upcoming NA options.

What about competition from cannabis?

Times have changed. Younger clients may be choosing between staying at home, smoking pot, and playing video games or going out, socializing, and drinking. I’m afraid that staying at home has become the direction in which many people, not just the young, are seemingly heading. Socializing on their screens rather than in person. A lack of in-person interaction has become a new hurdle for the industry and, unfortunately, a sign of the times.

Is wine important to your business?

Wine is the breadwinner in terms of volume and margins. We offer a balanced selection of domestic and imported wine from all over the world. Our 55-degree wine cave, which was built to preserve and improve wine, has over 120 types of specialty French, Italian, and US wines all hand selected, not just for their drinkability, but also their limited availability. Gems.

What liquor is most popular?

Vodka is still number one, with gin growing in popularity along with tequila and mezcal. Specialty bourbons, especially local brands, are also hitting strong. Just two months ago Ten Mile River Distillery in Wassaic, NY was introduced into the Connecticut market. We now sell their bourbon, vodka, and gin, which has a solid following, being so local. In wines, Gruner Veltliner, Chenin blanc, Sancerre, and rosé seem to be the warm weather favorites. For wines, $17-$20 a bottle is the ideal sweet spot.

What are the trends right now?

The growing trend is non-alcoholic. The Wolfer “Spring in a Bottle,” the sparkling nonalcoholic white and/or rosé wine from Long Island, is really popular right now. Then there’s an increasing variety of new liquors that customers want. Every week I get asked for something I’ve never heard of – yuzu flavored, persimmon – it’s crazy! Box wine, which is value driven, is also a big thing right now. There are fewer craft beers to pick from due to large brewers like Anheuser Busch, buying them up, often overpaying and then eliminating them as a threat. Kent Falls Brewery, the most local of breweries, is a consistently great beer offering in our store.

Does being on the border with New York affect your business?

Liquor regulation and taxation is wacky. By Connecticut law we can sell cheese and crackers but no other food. New York allows distributors to volume price, which puts small wine shops at a tremendous disadvantage. In Connecticut, the state sets the minimum price you can charge. The primary reason this law remains in place is to protect small, independent liquor stores from being undercut by large, big-box retailers or national chains.  

How did you get into this business?

When I was in high school my mother decided I needed a job, and Joe Mulligan, the former owner of Salisbury Package Store, hired and mentored me. About a decade later I was working under Chris Battista at the new Stateline Wines and Liquor Store in Canaan, CT as the beer manager when the partners from this store approached me.

What is your personal passion?

Martial arts have been part of my life since the age of four when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, over 35 years ago. It has given me focus, structure, and a different mental and physical path. The Korean martial art, taekwondo, is about making people feel better to live better. Throughout the week I teach nights and Sundays at Baker’s Taekwondo Team at The Center on Main in Falls Village, CT with my beautiful black belt wife, Kirsten. We have the privilege of teaching and mentoring many incredible people who I like to call family, ranging from ages 5 to 60. I used to compete in competitions, but now I compete solely through my students, and I couldn’t be prouder.

What do you enjoy about selling alcoholic beverages, and what is difficult?

I get a thrill being included in many different types of celebrations of people’s lives, and we truly enjoy seeking the proper palate companion to accentuate the overall experience of an important event, holiday, honoring, or fund raiser. Also, just being involved with a business that has such a rich history in the town has been an honor. •

Drop by Sharon Package Store at 1 Gay St, Sharon, CT, or peruse their products online at thesharonpackagestore.com.