Independent wine shop celebrates milestone year.

Byline: Advertiser generated content Submitted by Cabernet & Company Fine Wine Shop

My name is Alixe Lischett and I started Cabernet & Company Fine Wine Shop in downtown Glen Ellyn 25 years ago.

Back then, there weren't many independent wine shops in and around Chicago. Our plan was to open a small, neighborhood wine shop; a place where people could come to ask for wine recommendations, to buy the perfect wine for the perfect dinner, to buy the perfect wine to have with their Friday night pizza, to talk it over. We wanted a place where customers could participate in the purchase, not just pick something off a shelf because a well a just because.

Opening a wine shop seemed like a pipe dream in 1992. It was difficult. We were told we would fail. Financing was difficult, but somehow after a year it happened. Cabernet & Company Fine Wine Shop opened 1993. Thanks to our original landlord (a lovely man who didn't want to rent to some newfangled coffee place called Starbucks) we got the location we wanted. Business was great. It was all about food, wine, entertaining, enjoying time with friends a all wrapped up with being a retailer.

Cabernet & Company has grown in the past 25 years. We pack as much as possible into our small space. We have more than 1,500 wines from which to choose, with new ones coming in all the time.

On weekends we open our wine bar and offer wines by the glass. We have a monthly Wine Club. We do tons of gift baskets. We also have a small but solid selection of craft beer. After all, most people who appreciate a good wine also appreciate a good beer.

We think small town America is a wonderful thing. Independent retailers are a staple of the American dream. We're part of your town. We're your neighbors. Your friends.

Hopefully, we'll be part of your life for a very long time to come.