Shop Local, Sip Local: 802Spirits Pours Back Into Vermont

When Adam LaPerle bought Bristol Discount Beverage & Redemption in 2006, it was a small-volume store without many offerings, primarily a beer and wine redemption location. But LaPerle had a vision for more. Over the years, he increased his stock of local products, and six years ago he contracted with the state to sell spirits under the 802Spirits brand.

“We built up the space and reputation of our business, and I knew what worked and had the staff. By the time we added liquor, we had everything in place, and it was a natural fit,” LaPerle said. “It made us more of a one-stop shop for people.” 

As an 802Spirits store owner, LaPerle works with the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery to stock and sell liquor products to consumers. The state takes care of the purchasing, and LaPerle and his employees ring up customers. The money from those purchases goes right back to Vermont via LaPerle’s local business and the state’s General Fund.

When you see that 802Spirits logo, you can know that it is a locally owned business where the money is going back to your community.”

Hannah Chauvin

LaPerle has lived in the Bristol area for years, and his kids attend the local high school. He grew up in Middlebury and studied at the University of Vermont. While at UVM, he worked at Beverage Warehouse in Winooski. After graduation, he worked at Otter Creek Brewing, where he got to know another side of the business as a sales rep, then he worked for another Vermont distributor, G. Housen.

“I realized what I really liked best was the customer-facing aspect and the community,” LaPerle said. So he bought his own store in Bristol.

A few years later, a local health food store closed, and LaPerle started getting requests to stock more food. He bought a freezer and filled it and his shelves with items you wouldn’t traditionally find in a beverage store, such as Misty Knoll Farms chicken and Vermont Smoke & Cure products. “It’s nice to find ways to work with more local businesses,” he said.

LaPerle views Bristol Discount Beverage as a community hub. “I am in the store every day, and I’m very much part of the community. That was my vision when I bought the store,” he said. 

He does his best to give back, too, including supporting many local sports teams, advertising in the Addison County Independent and sponsoring its “Student of the Week” posting. 

Hannah Chauvin, director of communications and legislative affairs for the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery, described Bristol Discount Beverage as a perfect example of the 802Spirits agency store model. The model gives local business owners a reliable revenue stream that helps them stay open, hire staff and reinvest in their communities. Instead of liquor revenue going to out-of-state corporations, customers can shop at a store owned by their neighbors. 

“When you see that 802Spirits logo, you can know that it is a locally owned business where the money is going back to your community,” Chauvin said. 

Local Stores, State Partnership

While most Vermonters are familiar with that 802Spirits logo, they may not know how the brand works with the state and local business owners to benefit their communities. The Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery oversees the sale of liquor at its 80-plus liquor stores. It contracts with locally owned businesses and gives them its 802Spirits brand, acting as a wholesaler. 

Duncan Harvey, who has owned Five Corner Variety in Essex Junction since 2007, said he has “always had a good relationship with the state.” The other day, he said, he ran out of register paper unexpectedly, and the department was able to help him out on short notice.

“You can call them or email them, and they get back to you quickly, and they have great communication,” he said. 

Every 802Spirits liquor store is independently owned and operated. When people shop there, the money that they spend stays local: It supports jobs, small businesses and the community. 

The profits of liquor sales go to Vermont’s General Fund, which funds the operation of state government, emergency preparedness, public safety, state parks, trails, beaches and anything else without a designated fund. These funds are vital, especially in emergencies or other unforeseen situations.

As with running any business, there are challenges, but there is a lot that shoppers can do to help these businesses and the local economy. 

“It’s as important as ever to shop local and keep your dollars in our community,” Chauvin said.

‘More Than Just a Typical Liquor Store’

Harvey is the epitome of a local business owner — he’s lived in Essex Junction his whole life. He graduated from Essex High School, went to UVM and has been doing business in Essex since he graduated. 

He currently owns two liquor stores, Five Corner Variety and Fairgrounds Beverage, with his business partner, Colby Benway. Benway, who also lives in Essex Junction, joined Harvey as a partial owner in 2022 after working with him at Five Corner Variety for 10 years.

“It’s given me a little more time to spend away from the store and with my family,” Harvey said. While the business can be hard, he noted, with its long hours, he’s always enjoyed it. “If I didn’t, I would go do something else,” he joked. 

Harvey takes great pride in his role in the community, keeping his store open for 12 hours daily, seven days a week. “Whether people need that last-minute tank of gas, cigarettes, vodka — we take it pretty seriously to be open and provide that service,” he said.

He also makes an effort to be part of the community he serves. Harvey advertises in local publications, runs bottle drives to support kids’ sports and sponsors school events, such as the annual Albert D. Lawton Basketball Tournament. 

“We’re more than just a typical liquor store. Of course, we have all the liquor, beer and wine, but we carry basic groceries to help people out in a pinch, so they can get some essentials,” he said.

With a staff of four full-time and four part-time employees at each store, Harvey offers health insurance and a 401k with a match. “That helps me find and retain good employees and help out local people,” he said, noting that he’s committed to offering benefits even as property taxes and electricity and overhead costs rise.

It’s the support of the community, Harvey said, that keeps his business going. “I’m very appreciative of the people that have shown up and supported us instead of going to chain stores over the years. It makes a difference.” 

To learn more or find an 802Spirits location near you, visit 802spirits.com/ourstores.

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