When you’ve been in business as long as Upstate Wine & Spirits Co. in Elsmere, you pick up on a few things.
“We’re fortune enough, me being here 20 years — I have Allison and I have Chuck, I have a good staff — we’re all very wine knowledgeable,” said owner Todd Yutzler. “Anybody can come in and we can certainly help them out. I just had a gentleman come in looking for a wine to go with Moroccan food and he didn’t know what to pair it with. We were able to help him with it.”
Yutzler joined Upstate as a staffer in 1995, working under the original owners Pete and Donna Devine. In December, Yutzler will celebrate his 10-year anniversary as owner of the store.
Upstate’s presence in the community gores farther back than Yutzler’s time. The wine store was first established in 1967 with a storefront located where Bruegger’s Bagels presently do business “We are the only one that’s been around this long,” said Yutzler.
With Yutzler’s career spanning two decades, he’s been able to identify the changing tastes of his customers.
“Well, the biggest trend has been the spirit sales. When I first started here it was probably 80/20, 80 [percent] wine, 20 [percent] spirits. Then, as the cosmos came out then these different flavored vodkas, and now you’ve got flavored whiskeys. Now, it’s getting to be 60/40. Wine is still popular, but the spirits are kind of balancing out.”
Today’s wine consumer has become more sophisticated, thanks in part to science and technology.
“Definitely, with all the spotlight on the health benefits of wine. And, of course, with technology and apps: You can now scan [the barcode] on a wine label and it will give out ratings and all sorts of ratings. They have apps for the home wine buyer to help store his wine collection, and when to drink it.”
The secret to the stores success and longevity could be summed up by the neighborhood.
“It’s probably the community support,” said Yutzler, who tipped his hat to his predecessor. “Back when Pete owned the store, he was way ahead of his time. He had wine classes, and always had wine tastings. He was the premier wine shop. We’re the nice community shop.
“It’s been exciting that we’ve been here this long, and hopefully we’ll be here for many more.”
Upstate Wine & Spirits Co. is located in Elsmere in Delaware Plaza, and are open Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
