With construction expected to start for a third location soon, Williquors’ success has quickly skyrocketed since its inception in 2014. Nestled into Bismarck, ND and Sioux Falls, SD, the two currently open locations continue to see revenue growth year after year.
Not only was Williquors named a Top 100 Retailer every year since 2019, they were also voted Bismarck Mandan’s “Best Liquor Store” and “Best Wine Selection” for nine years running.
When co-owner Brent Skjerseth CSW, who has been on all sides of the liquor industry, met up with three guys building a liquor superstore, he was immediately drawn to be a part of it. “I joined them to help get the store up and running, and then two years later bought into it. So now, all four of us own it,” he explains.
Their flagship store in Bismarck is 28,000 square feet of “liquid happiness,” as Skjerseth calls it. On top of having the largest selection of spirits in a three-state radius, this location also contains a 500-square-foot classroom for educational purposes, as well as two dedicated tasting bars for customers.
When the Sioux Falls location became available, the Williquors team knew they had to act on it. “Our vision was always to move down the Midwest a bit, and when the location came up, we knew it would be perfect for us,” says Skjerseth. “There’s still some competition down there with grocery stores and gas stations, but they have such a limited selection, so we thought the larger store footprint could offer more. And it’s going really well down there.”
Keeping Customers Engaged
Aside from offering one of the largest selections of beverage alcohol products in the area, Skjerseth says that part of what makes Williquors successful is their customer engagement strategies. “We have redesigned our store flow and layout to optimize customer engagement,” notes Skjerseth. “Before, it was a growler station, but that has run its course. Customers started asking to try different spirits, so now we can crack something open for them to try.”
Skjerseth explains that this new store layout has created a nice area for customers and employees to talk and connect. While they sip on a new liquid, employees can educate shoppers about the product they’re trying and “get a new product into people’s mouths before our competition can,” he states.
The Bourbon Society
Williquors’ biggest venture this year has been Bourbon Society, which is a store membership that allows those who join to receive special discounts on bourbon. Members also have the ability to enter into special allocated release events throughout the year.
“Every quarter, we do these allocated bourbon release events where we give away some merchandise,” says Skjerseth. “At each one of these events, we’ll have giveaways, drawings, food and refreshments, along with samples.”
The Bourbon Society made its debut in March of this year, and the membership is good for all of 2024. Skjerseth says both the Bourbon Society and the store’s loyalty program help to bring in a lot of new customers.
Looking Toward a Bright Future
Between exciting events, educational classes, tastings and construction set to begin in 2025 for the new store location, Skjerseth expects Williquors to continue growing.
“We run an ‘Everyday Low Price’ program for products throughout the store, along with special promos throughout the year,” he explains. “You will always have people coming in looking for the brands they know and trust, but through our customer experience, we end up getting them to try something new. This way, they stray outside of their bubble and leave the store with another brand.”
Editor’s Note: This is part of our annual coverage and celebration of The Top 100 beverage alcohol retailers in the U.S., including the naming of our 2024 Retailer of the Year.
Krystina Skibo is the Trade Managing Editor at Beverage Dynamics. Reach her at kskibo@epgacceleration.com. Read her recent piece, Vodka Trends in 2024.
