October 2021 Business of the Month: Walworth Wine & Spirits

October 25, 2021

Interviewed and written by Vicky Nguyen, President of the Chamber

For Walworth, New York, natives, a liquor store is an odd sight to see. The town of Walworth for the better part of its existence has been a dry town, the only liquor moving across the town was carried out by local bootleggers under the law's radar. Numerous barns around the area were hot spots for the illegal trade to take place. Since becoming a ‘wet’ town, only one liquor store prior to Walworth Wine and Spirits has existed, the existence is short-lived has left the town with no local liquor store for many years until business owner George Konstantinou came into the picture in October 2016. Even though George started his own business 5 years ago, his entrepreneurial journey leading up to today was not smooth.

Originally born and raised in Ontario and Walworth area, George went to Wayne Central and proceeded to get his Bachelor’s in Science in Biology with a Pre-Health Concentration from the University of Buffalo. He did everything right from an educational perspective but there was an innate quality inside of him that wasn’t “corporate material”. George states, “I enjoy learning a lot of new things and it builds up a chain reaction in obtaining that skill. My style is fluid and flexible, so I won’t be able to follow a company’s corporate structure.”

After succeeding in obtaining his degree, he decided to move back home and reassess inwardly what he truly wanted to do. The reassessment grew to become overwhelming over the next couple of years. It wasn’t until one day George was shoveling snow in the middle of winter that he had a profound conscious experience that led him to decide to be proactive in being happy. George says,” Opportunity buzzes around and it’s only a matter of time when your internal compass is aligned that you take it!” And so, he did. He heard about the Tops being built in Walworth and sought an SBA loan to secure a liquor store right next to it. At a young age, he even sought mentorship from his father. With the right mentorship and capital, George’s store has been established for 5 years.

Walworth Wine and Spirits is a Chamber Member of the Western Wayne Chamber of Commerce and are our October’s Business of the Month. They have been a dedicated member since 2019. George advises other aspiring entrepreneurs, “You have to be fearless and spend some time looking inwardly. Ask yourself some tough questions like, ‘What are you doing with your life?’ and ‘Can you accept failure when it happens?’ Take some time to think introspectively so you can mentally prepare yourself when you start your venture.”

I have had the pleasure to interview George and learned that he is a very humble business owner.

If you want a wide selection of wine with various grapes from outside the U.S. including Australia, Chili, and Argentina and from within the U.S. from places like New York, California, and Washington or their diverse selection of spirits, visit them at 2140 Tops Plaza, Walworth-Penfield Road, Walworth, NY 14568.

The store’s operating hours are from Monday through Saturday from 9AM to 9PM and Sunday from 12 PM to 6PM. Follow them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/walworthwineandspirits.