The Connections Bridgewater Somerville Edition Sept/Oct/Nov

theconnectionsnj.com PAGE 18 CELEBRATIONS & EVENTS Part of the cozy, small-town feel of Chester comes from many of the historic shops and farms in town that have been there for decades. Chester Fine Wines & Spirits is one of the loyal stores in town, dating back to its opening in 1974. ShopRite-af liated, they’ve been in- dependently owned and operated for over 45 years by the Szibdat family. Gar- rett Szibdat is the third generation, and fondly recalls how he began working in the store of cially on the books on his 16th birthday, with a special permit from the state. “Before that, I was not able to touch alcohol and was only able to fetch shopping carts and stock soda, at a per- piece rate, so I kept track!” he laughs. His grandfather was president of Wakefern in the late 60s-70s and had a few grocery stores throughout the state, and ultimate- ly negotiated what would be the split of Shoprite/Pathmark. “My father operated the Chester (and our Little Falls) liquor locations throughout his career and then sold the Little Falls store in the early 2000s to reduce the commute,” he recalls. Garrett is now majority-owner and VP of MIDOCO INC, doing business as ShopRite of Chester Liquors and Ches- ter Fine Wines & Spirits. MIDOCO is a corporate name derived in the 80s from the rst two letters of the names of his grandmother, father and aunt (Mildred, Donald and Cory), who ran the store be- fore him. As an owner-operator, there is nothing store-related that does not cross Garrett’s plate. “I do all of the daily wine and spirits buying, maintain all of the cash ow in the business, create electronic and print artwork and maintain our e-market- ing/social platforms,” he explains. “It is most rewarding to see how the store adapts and changes on its own organi- cally. It has differing items based on the season and demand and it’s always inter- esting to see what the next big thing is going to be!” Open Monday- Saturday, 9 am-9 pm and 10 am-7 pm on Sundays, the destina- tion store hits home for ne-wine lovers, seekers of craft beers and those looking for rare spirits and liqueurs. The Szibdat family has forged relationships with ven- dors throughout the years and is able to secure allocations of many hard-to- nd items. “We’ve been in the business for quite a while, therefore are familiar with obscure liqueurs and aperitifs from around the world,” Szibdat notes. The best part of being in the Chester community is that while they run a suc- cessful business, it is that success that al- lows them the ability to give back to their community and support it. Whether it be through local fundraisers, events, and milestones of the many people within the community, they also “support over 15 local families that survive on our wages.” So hop in the car and head over to the ShopRite Chester Fine Wines & Spirits for your next party! By Katrina Musto ShopRite Chester Fine Wines & Spirits 120 US 206 South Chester NJ 07930 908-879-5352 ShopRiteWines.com ChesterFineWine.com THAT HOMETOWN FEEL AT CHESTER FINE WINES & SPIRITS C C ShopRite-af liated, Chester Fine Wines & Spirits has been independently owned and operated for over 45 years by the Szibdat family. Open Monday-Saturday 9 am-9 pm and 10 am-7 pm on Sundays, the destination store hits home for ne-wine lovers, seekers of craft beers and those looking for rare spirits and liqueurs. 58 South Main St. Manville, NJ 08835 908.685.7125 drewbys.com Laughter is Brightest Where Food is Best! • Serving Lunch & Dinner • Offering Daily Specials • Catering Available For All Occasions HOURS. Tuesday - Thursday 12-9 pm Friday - Sunday 12-10 pm PATIO OPEN