Garfield's Beverage Warehouse Opening New Location In Deerfield

DEERFIELD, IL — The possibility of a new Garfield's Beverage Warehouse location opening in Deerfield moved a step closer at Monday night's Village Board meeting. Upon a request from the Barrington-based business, trustees approved an ordinance to amend municipal code and create a new class of liquor license to facilitate a product sampling concept.

The new store is being proposed at 57 S. Waukegan Road in Cadwell's Corners. Garfield's, which opened in 1951, has nine locations across Chicagoland.

David Garfield, owner of Garfield's Beverage Warehouse, and Adam Silverstein, chief operating officer, addressed the board about the concept.

According to Garfield, the new store would feature a product sampling section where customers can consume full serving size samples of alcoholic products for sale. The store's locations in Palatine and Crystal Lake already feature the product sampling concept.

"We've had great response from the public. It's been nice for our business to kind of separate us from other people and that sort of thing," said Garfield, who inherited the family-run business from his father, Norman, and has been involved with it since 2000.

According to Andrew Lichterman, assistant village manager and director of community development, the license also stipulates there must be a limited food menu provided such as prepackaged food and it must be available while alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption are being consumed. Silverstein said the Deerfield location, like the others, would not have a kitchen. It would instead feature things like the aforementioned prepackaged food and charcuterie boards.

"I think we're very fortunate. While this is a new concept for us, you guys have tried this out and have honed the delivery of it and have perfected it and worked out the kinks in other places" Trustee Mary Oppenheim said.

There will also be delivery options at the Deerfield location, according to Garfield.

The license allows for product sampling when the business also holds a Class A liquor license, is located in the C-2 outlying commercial district and is in excess of 4,000 square feet.

Silverstein described the concept as providing customers a "unique shopping experience." He said it gives customers an opportunity to sample an ever-growing number of new products coming into the store locations.

"We need to figure out a way to get them to try new things. [We want them] to really invigorate their taste profiles and get them excited like we are about the wines and spirits that are out there," Silverstein said.

He added that the stores currently operating with the license offer draft beer (featuring local breweries), wine, but not mixed cocktails at the bar located in the store. The location in Crystal Lake has around 12 to 14 bar seats. The proposed location in Deerfield will feature a 20-foot bar front along with three to four tables.

"With that, it will help with isolating the area when we want to do educational seminars. When we have a winemaker come in or a master distiller, it gives us that footprint where we can still keep it intimate, but also accommodate 20 to 25 people," Silverstein said.

Garfield, who grew up in Buffalo Grove and currently lives in Glenview, said he is excited about the location at Cadwell's Corners, which has seen an influx of new businesses in recent years.

"It's nice to see that area has got some stability," said Garfield, who added that the lease would be for 10 years with two five-year options.