Gary’s Wine & Marketplace Makes a Home in Napa

The first winery that Gary Fisch visited when he began his career in wine more than forty years ago was Louis M. Martini. Returning to where it all began, Fisch recently opened his new store – Gary’s Wine & Marketplace – directly across the street from the iconic winery, in the former Dean & DeLuca space. Call it poetic or serendipitous; the alcohol beverage and gourmet food retailer calls it a dream come true.

As one of New Jersey’s leading alcohol beverage and gourmet food retailers, Fisch has long visited the Napa Valley for pleasure and business. He’s built strong relationships with the vintners and wineries whose varietals he carries in his four East Coast stores. It’s fitting that his fifth store is located within the region and retail space he knows so well. “I’ve been visiting Napa annually for 25 years, and during every visit, I’d stop by Dean & DeLuca to look around and see what cool things they were selling,”  said Fisch.

“It provided me inspiration for my stores. I loved the wide range of products and the gourmet feel.”

When Fisch learned of the store’s closing, he jumped. A lease was signed within days, and his store opened October 2019. Gary’s features more than 600 labels focusing primarily on Napa Valley wines, as well as the largest and most diverse selection of hand-selected imports in the area. Six state- of-the-art Wine Stations offer 24 wines by the glass, in 1, 2, or 4 ounce pours. Every Thursday afternoon, a different local vintner pours and discusses his/her wines, which are paired with artisan cheese samples.

Gary’s also carries more than 250 spirits and beer products, hundreds of cheeses, charcuterie, olive oil, fresh-baked bread, coffee, and breakfast items. The salad and sandwich-stocked deli features daily in-store specials. Complementing the selection of food and beverages is a selection of beautiful platters, handmade cutting boards, holiday gift  baskets,  and  hand-blown  glassware. New to Gary’s Wine & Marketplace stores is

Napa’s concierge service that can facilitate winery visits, restaurant reservations, hotel bookings, and more.

Fisch’s 32-year perspective as a brick- and-mortar retail expert provides him the ability to forecast trends, to which he responds with continued innovation. “We compete in an increasingly digital age by providing in-store experiences that cannot be purchased online,” said the congenial Fisch, whose Napa presence includes a commitment to his new community via participation in the area’s various fundraisers. “Customers enjoy visiting our stores, tasting our products, and speaking with our team of wine and cheese experts. We strive to be part of the community. We are excited to let our Napa Valley customers know that they can always rely on us for the best recommendations, no matter the occasion – from picnics during the day to elaborate evening dinner parties.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.garysnapa.com

Article By: Fran Miller