Jack Holloway founded ABC Fine Wine & Spirits in 1936 in Orlando, Florida. A cigar store manager, he saw the end of Prohibition as an opportunity to expand from cigars into spirits. The original store, Jack's Friendly Neighborhood Bar, was located in downtown Orlando at the corner of North Orange Avenue and Wall Street. Over the next decade, the company grew slowly to about a half-dozen stores.
In 1950, ABC Liquors was born; company legend has it that Jack Holloway wanted not only a name that local residents would easily remember, but one that would show up first in the phone book. By 1970, the company maintained not only a growing chain of retail stores, but also an increasing number of attached “lounges” in styles from basic neighborhood watering hole, to (in later years) country and western dance bars and discotheques.
The company took another giant leap forward in the late 1980s, expanding from Central Florida into the northern part of the peninsula with its purchase of Jax Liquors. With approximately 150 locations throughout Florida, ABC became the country’s largest privately owned wine and spirits retailer.
AGING LIKE A FINE WINE
In 1993, ABC Liquors began using the name “ABC Fine Wine & Spirits” in some of its larger locations to highlight the expanded wine selection. Over the past decade, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits has focused on carefully managing its growth; selectively locating new stores, closing some older locations, and remodeling existing structures.
As ABC celebrates its 75th year in business, our stores now span the Florida peninsula, from Tallahassee and Jacksonville, to Naples and South Miami.
THE ABC DIFFERENCE
In a cluttered marketplace of products and services – and places to get them – ABC Fine Wine & Spirits stands out for three simple reasons: the best products, the best service and the best prices.
We are continuously assessing how our stores and services meet our customers’ needs. We are committed to providing the best overall shopping experience possible. Remodeled stores exhibit clean lines and well-lit, open, friendly shopping areas.
We carry a wide selection of gourmet foods, including cheeses, chocolates, and snack items, ideal for gifts, parties, or personal enjoyment. Same-day delivery from many stores allows for the delivery of last-minute gifts or wines, spirits, and beers for entertaining. Continual evaluation of the services we offer encourages us to be flexible, to be innovative, and to constantly keep our customers at the center of our operations.
Beyond our stores, we’re adding shopping convenience and connecting to customers using new technologies and emerging social media outlets. You can read our blog, find sales or coupons, shop online, get recommendations and even post your own reviews on our website, Facebook page or join the conversation on Twitter.