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2020.  What. A. Year. As if the tariffs  on European imports early on weren't enough, the wine and spirits industry had to deal with coronavirus, forest fires, and restaurant closures as well. But the calendar is wasting no time, and we as an industry are now entering the holiday season—which is reason to celebrate!

Along with the annual influx of holiday trimmings, the retail sector typically enjoys an injection of Value Added Packs (VAPs) to help guide customers with their gift-giving. Granted, this year’s “curbside pickup” culture may put a damper on retailers’ intent to create storefront displays. And some may plan to put the gift-boxed sets behind plexiglass this year, but overall the the array of holiday offerings for 2020 will not disappoint.

There are a number of businesses in our industry that can correctly be labeled "family businesses." Huber's Orchard, Winery & Vineyards in Starlight, Indiana, is something beyond that. It is a legacy business, one that dates back to 1843 when Simon Huber settled a farm in the southern part of the Hoosier State and used his experience from his native Germany to grow fruit and make wine and brandies.

Over the decades, the farm has expanded from its original 80 acres to 700 acres today, and Huber's vision has been perpetuated through the generations of Hubers who have lived and worked the farm since. Among them is Dana Huber, Vice President of Distribution and Public Relations, and wife of co-owner Ted Huber. Ted and his first cousin, Greg Huber, are the sixth generation to run the business. And more and more beverage aficionados in the Mid-Atlantic are coming to know their products.

Riverside Liquors is ALL about family! Co-owner David Butler says his family's roots in the packaged goods business date back to 1986 when his father, Albert, opened his first liquor store in Frederick. Dubbed Willow Tree Liquors, Albert eventually turned over management of the business to David's older sister, Cheryl Young, to return to his previous career in the computer industry.

David started working at the store part-time while going to community college and then went to work there with Cheryl full-time at age 20 (with their dad still contributing financially). In the early 1990s, the siblings heard about a new shopping center called Spring Ridge being built that would be anchored by a Weis supermarket. They eventually opened Spring Ridge Liquors at the site after selling Willow Tree to fund the move.