After getting his MBA in business from Tulane’s Freeman School, Brady's Wine Warehouse founder Patrick Brady went to New York City to work on Wall Street. After some time there, he realized that his heart wasn't in it and he returned to his hometown of New Orleans to follow his dream of opening a wine store.
Brady met Richard Ellis, (who is now his general manager) while visiting a local wine shop and the two formed a partnership. Ellis had a history in wine tasting and is a trained sommelier. The duo met Patrick Hunter, who serves as their director of spirits and beer. Hunter hails from Chicago's craft cocktail and beer scene and Brady and Ellis felt he would be an asset filling the gaps between sales and product knowledge. Together they are on a mission to shake up the wine world.
"The central philosophy behind the store is that wine should be fun,” says Brady, founder and owner of Brady’s Wine Warehouse. “That's honestly what I found myself saying from the beginning. 'Wine should be fun because wine should be fun.’”
The three partners share the same philosophies on wine. They believe that wine should be appreciated and not sitting in a cellar collecting dust.
Their clients have come to associate their store with high-quality customer service and an enjoyable, helpful atmosphere. The Brady's team ensures that their staff is well educated about the store's inventory and that they assist their customers (new and returning) with making purchasing decisions. They also have a reputation for offering a wide selection of products with competitive prices.
“When the store was founded, we decided to build it on the exact construct that wine should be enjoyable,” Brady says. “From the new hires to interior design, everything's purpose is to be fun and excitable rather than stuffy and delicate. All of our wines, from the cheapest to the most expensive, are on the same shelves for our customers to see.”
With a staff of nine employees and a 5,000 square-foot store downtown, the partners have found starting a new business to be challenging, but their primary goal is to establish a high level of communication with their customers.
“We’re succeeding in our goal to change people’s perception of wine,” Brady says. “I know this because we have customers that tell us that since they've walked into our store that they haven't gone to any other wine stores. It just validates our assumption that people want a fun environment to buy wine in."
The team has gotten the word out through a mixture of marketing, website development, social media and public relations. They've also made it a priority to reach out to nearby businesses in Downtown New Orleans, the Central Business District, and Oretha Castle Haley Blvd to create partnerships and spread the word to new audiences.
As for what is forthcoming, the Brady’s Wine Warehouse team is excited to launch their delivery and online ordering services soon. They've also planned to ramp up their tastings to include more themes and varieties so they can appeal to new audiences.
Visit Brady’s Wine Warehouse 1029 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, Ste. C, New Orleans, LA 70113
