Friends of the Club
We can't do this alone. So much of the club's success is due to the hard work and generosity of our partners. Our partners have provided bottles and raffle items for our charities, worked with us to secure amazing barrel picks and given time and space to support the club. We can't thank them enough.
Cheers!
Liquor Store Partners
1941 Grand Ave
St. Paul, MN
Thomas is a fourth-generation family-owned liquor store and premier wine shop in St. Paul, located on the western end of historic Grand Avenue. It opened in 1922 as a pharmacy, sold prescription liquor through Prohibition, then dropped the pharmacy to become a full-time liquor store in the 1950s. They have picked roughly 30 private barrels over the years and celebrated their centennial in 2022.
1010 S Washington Ave
Minneapolis, MN
1010 has been family-owned and operated since 2015. Before then, it was a niche wine shop. Now, general manager Don Hanson has turned it into one of the premier wine and whiskey shops in the Twin Cities, with over 25 private barrels under his belt, including multiple Eagle Rare and Russell’s picks.
4950 NE Central Ave Columbia Heights, MN
Top Valu is owned and operated by the City of Columbia Heights. WCWC member Jason Schulz has been the manager for five years and has picked more than 25 barrels. Before Top Valu, he was the Division Manager for G-Will Liquors and picked another 25+ barrels. Although Top Valu has three locations, Jason offices out of the Central Ave location, which has the most extensive bourbon selection.
Albertville, Otsego,
multiple other mn locations
There are several Cash Wise and Coborns
Liquor establishments throughout Wright County, including Albertville, Clearwater, and Otsego. One advantage of being a grocery store liquor store is the number of locations, which means they sell a significant amount of liquor. They know their whiskey, and our local stores receive many of their best allocated bottles.
227 W. Washington Ave
Fergus Falls, MN
Fergus Liquors stands out as a premier destination for a wide variety of beers, wines, and spirits. With over 49 years in business, this liquor store is known for its extensive and diverse selection, catering to all preferences and price ranges. Managed by Brandon Currie, the store is committed to providing a well-stocked and welcoming environment for its customers. It's a key stop in Fergus Falls for both casual buyers and connoisseurs alike, offering a rich collection that spans local favorites to global brands.
4 Shady Oak Rd,
Hopkins, MN
Ace Spirits in Hopkins, MN, is the first retail space in Minnesota focused on the education, promotion, and sale of whisk(e)y. While they sell beer, fine wine, high-end tequila, and other great spirits, whiskey holds their heart. Owner Luke Castle might be the only Kentucky Colonel in the state of Minnesota thanks to his charitable work with the Bourbon Crusaders, a Louisville based nonprofit that has raised over $6 million since 2015. The Kentucky Colonel is the highest honor awarded in Kentucky, and can only be granted by a sitting governor.
Distilleries
Roselle, New Jersey
Penelope Bourbon was crafted and created in a classic American tradition – to celebrate an impending birth of a child. In 2018, Mike Paladini and his wife, Kerry, found out they were expecting a baby girl, Penelope.
Teaming up with his close childhood friend and neighbor, Danny Polise, they set out to discover and produce a Straight Bourbon Whiskey everyone could appreciate and enjoy.
Today, Penelope Bourbon is sold in over 37 states nationwide and 4 countries. Proving that with enough love and care, and hard work, anything is possible.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Aaron Chepenik and Jonathan Hensleigh founded Nevada H&C Distilling Co. in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2012. Chepenik is the master distiller and owner of the Smoke Wagon line of bourbons. Hensleigh is a Hollywood screenwriter. They are best known for crafting high-quality whiskeys, including the highly lauded Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered bourbon. Chepenik and Hensleigh started Smoke Wagon when they purchased all 10 barrels of 36% Rye available at the old Seagrams plant.
Holland, Michigan
CraftCo. Brands is a collection of craft spirit brands owned by the Windquest Group. Coppercraft Distillery is part of the CraftCo. portfolio. Founded in 2012 in Holland, Michigan by distiller Walter Catton, their whiskeys include their namesake Coppercraft bourbon as well as Joseph A. Magnus & Fox & Oden. The distillery's goal is to create premium spirits using locally sourced ingredients.