Craft & Cork >> General Interest

Amendments to the Nova Scotia Liquor Control Act made last in 2013 have proven to be a complete turning point for Tim Feeley, owner of the Maritime Wine & Beer Emporium – a Halifax store that specializes in craft wine and beer making. Although the regulatory changes weren’t finalized until the fall of 2014, Tim knew he needed to take the opportunity to move from a retail only establishment to a fermenting on premise.

A 27-year Navy veteran who has sailed the world and 20-year Halifax resident, Tim loves the sense of camaraderie he experiences as a business owner in his local neighbourhood. “When the regulation changes were proposed, I knew I had to get on it,” said Tim, who took over the business from its previous owners in 1998. “I moved to a new location almost immediately and established the winemaking on premise offering last summer.” A year later, it’s safe to say his bold move is paying off. It seems that staff and customers alike have appreciated the changes.

“My staff worked hard over the last year and deserve a lot of credit. We changed the business model entirely and that wasn’t what they signed up for originally,” said Tim. “I’ve also noticed the willingness of the customers to try various product lines, spend more time making their wines and try higher quality kits.” Maritime Wine & Beer Emporium offers customers a wide variety of RJS Craft Winemaking kits that deliver the discovery, creativity and satisfaction of a traditional wine making experience, not to mention high quality finished wine.

The Maritime Wine & Beer Emporium is one of over 100 RJS Craft Winemaking Academy stores across Canada, a dedicated group of craft wine and beer retailers committed to providing the best possible craft wine making experience to their customers. Canadians who dream of backyard vineyards, and well-stocked wine cellars are now learning and enjoying a personalized experience of craft wine making at the hands of these wine industry aficionados. Using wine juices and concentrates carefully selected from the world’s leading wine regions, RJS Craft Winemaking kits offer everything from the most sought after varietals like Pinot Grigio and Merlot to more obscure wines like South African Pinotage and Verdiccho.

“Being part of the RJS Craft Winemaking Academy has enabled me to elevate my game,” said Tim. “It prompts me to look at details that I would have overlooked before, which makes me feel better about my business and ultimately, gives the customer a better experience.”