Cheers to twenty years!

By JoAnn R. Walter —

As you drive north on Route 38 and approach the Village Green in Newark Valley, N.Y., one business there has become a long-standing downtown anchor. Village Wines and Spirits of Newark Valley, N.Y., located at 20 S. Main St., recently celebrated their 20th anniversary.

The Northern Tioga Chamber of Commerce noted, “This incredible milestone marks two decades of service, passion, and dedication to our community.”

Looking back, when an 18-year chapter in manufacturing at IBM-Endicott came to a close for Chris Leach, the owner of Village Wines and Spirits, he began searching for something new. Too young for retirement, his preference was to find something where he could work for himself.   

Leach purchased the 20 S. Main St. property in 2004, which was once a hair salon for many years. Going back in time, it was a supermarket, and going back even further, as he learned, it housed an early liquor store that lasted all but a couple of years.

A centrally-located building in the Village, Leach focused on making the right choice for his small business.

“I wanted to be successful,” Leach said, and to beef up his skill set, he attended business education classes through the Small Business Development Center in Binghamton.

In addition, he scoured a 62-page report from the Village Office which offered insight into responses from taxpayers via surveys conducted by the Village and Chamber.

Those responses indicated residents were interested in a motel or a dry cleaner, among others, and then several responses were recorded for a liquor store.

Leach, a local native, was born and raised on a dairy farm in the Whitney Point area, where generations of his family lived and worked the land. Self-sustaining, the Leach family grew their own food in multiple gardens, and made milk products.    

Growing up, Chris explained that his family’s faith was averse to the consumption of alcohol.  So, when his final decision was to pursue a liquor store, he felt reassured when his family supported his new business venture.

In the beginning, Leach had limited knowledge of wines and spirits. It was a learning experience, and where, he revealed, ”I started from scratch.”

Over one memory, Chris chuckled, “My mother-in-law gifted me a book, ‘The Wine Book for Dummies,’” and admitted, “When I first opened the store, I hardly knew the difference between a red and white wine, and then not much more about spirits.”

Today, that book is displayed in a special spot behind the counter. Twenty years later, Chris has since gained a vast amount of knowledge.

Some 600 wines, including a number of New York State wines, along with some 400 spirits, are offered at Village Wines and Spirits. A huge draw recently, Chris noted, is an interest from customers in various bourbons.

Case discounts are available at the store. Customers can also get a loyalty card which is punched after every purchase. Once enough punches are accumulated, you receive a discount on the next purchase.

A successful component of a small business is a solid understanding of your customer base, and “knowing your customers” is something Leach takes to heart. Part of Leach’s philosophy is to get what his customers are interested in.

For example, many stop by the store to inquire if a particular wine they enjoyed at an event or party is in the store, and if not, he works to fulfill the special request.

“Most stores won’t bring in a request for one or two customers,” Leach remarked, adding, “But I will,” he said, even if it takes a little while to sell the inventory.

Since opening the business, Leach has been involved in supporting the local community and served as President of the Chamber of Commerce for eight years.

Customers are invited on Fridays each week to sample wines and spirits offered by local and regional wineries, among others. Free tasting events are usually from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, but call the store to confirm at (607) 642-8836.

Leach thanks the community for their support over the last 20 years and welcomes all to stop in. According to their social media, every day is a reason to celebrate.

Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, Noon to 6 p.m. The staff is well-versed in helping customers select wines or spirits for any occasion. 

The store will be open on New Year’s Eve until 8 p.m.