A DRINK WITH JOHN HAFFERTY

By Maia Merrill Gosselin
Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo…when John Hafferty began dabbling in wine, he didn’t mess around! The owner of Bin Ends got a taste for fine wine early on after college but for several years it was just a casual interest, he had a “real job” in commercial real estate. But the call of the vines is hard to resist, and he eventually left real estate for the world of wine sales, working for wholesalers such as Boston Wine Co., Classic Wine Imports, and MS Walker as well as on the supplier side with Eric Solomon Selections. Although he had a genuine affinity for the wholesale/import side of the wine trade, the idea of opening an independent retail store featuring dynamic, high-quality wines but with a discount savings concept was germinating. It took a few years to get there but John opened his first Bin Ends location in 2008 with a Needham store following in 2013.

Today, Bin Ends is known for its vast selection of wines, craft beers, and artisan spirits with an emphasis on higher end wines that are value-priced. But John hasn’t stopped there. The stores are destination locations. Not only has John developed a large and loyal clientele, he also features a variety of classes, “meet the winemaker” tastings, and popular events like their monthly Fine Wine Flea Market. Who wouldn’t want to check that out?

I first met John over a decade ago when he was manning the Wine 101 booth at the Wine Riot festival in Boston, teaching thirsty millennials the gospel of wine. What struck me then, as it strikes me now, is how enthusiastic he is about wine. He is a natural when it comes to education, putting people at ease with what can be an intimidating subject. I caught up with John recently for a terrific conversation covering a range of topics from trends to tariffs. He’s knowledgeable and insightful but what shines through is how much fun he has. This is a guy you want to buy wine from!

MAIA GOSSELIN What was once a hobby became a vocation. How did your casual interest in wine morph into a career?
JOHN HAFFERTY I spent my first four to five years after college working in commercial real estate. Fine wine became a hobby after a chance meeting with Roger Ormon, the wine director at Brookline Liquor Mart. He introduced me to the world of Bordeaux and Burgundy at his Saturday afternoon wine tastings. From 1988 to 1990, the real estate market and the banking industry went through a crash not unlike what took place in 2008. After a couple of punishing years, I read an article in the BOSTON GLOBE MAGAZINE that preached: “Do what you love and you’ll never work another day in your life!” I took it to heart and over thirty years later I still love getting up and going to work every day.

MG Yours is not the traditional retail store model. Can you give an overview of the Bin Ends concept and what inspired this approach?
JH In the mid to late 2000’s I was working as a portfolio manager specializing in imported wines with MS Walker. Watching general economic trends at the time, it was evident that the market was about to go through a correction. Having spent some time considering the option of going into the retail side of the trade, it just did not seem like a good time to open a “Tiffany blue box” type of store. Upon further exploration, I was struck by the fact that the fine wine retail business had virtually no “off-price” players such as Filene’s Basement, TJ Max, or Marshall’s. It seemed like an opportunity large enough to drive a truck through in good economic times, and an incredible opportunity during tough economic times. We opened the doors at our Braintree location in May of 2008, just a few months prior to the housing market collapse.

MG Both of your stores have a large and loyal following. What is it that sets you apart from others?
JH Our business tag line is “Great Wine, Serious Savings!”. I recognized out of the gate that if we were going to be successful focusing on “off-price” then we had to set a high bar for ourselves. Just because a wine is cheap, does not make it a good “value”. It was incumbent on us to make certain that every bottle of wine had to be of a quality level that met or exceeded the everyday market price if our value proposition to our customers was to be taken seriously. Additionally, because we chose to focus on wines from smaller, typically family-owned estates rather than more commercial “branded” products, we needed to make certain that we built a team that was passionate about fine wine and eager to engage with customers on their interest in the subject. This combination connected with our customers and generated a considerable amount of enthusiasm in the press and on social media. “Best of Boston-South Shore” in BOSTON MAGAZINE, features on TV Diner, regular “Best of South Shore” and “Best of Needham” awards followed. Social media creators/bloggers such as Richard Auffrey of “The Passionate Foodie” and YouTube tequila expert Lui Fernandez are just some of our supporters.

MG Education is clearly important to you. What type of wine classes does the stores offer? What about other events?
JH For as long as I have been involved in the fine wine trade, I have felt it is critical that as professionals in the business it is incumbent upon each of us to have (along with a passion for the subject) a core level of understanding about the trade . . . from the agricultural elements, the production side, the economics of the business, the social history and culinary magic that makes fine wine, craft beer and spirits a unique subject and a rewarding career. We offer several regular tasting series at each of the stores, as the easiest way for one to understand a wine is to experience it first-hand. Covid put a pause to a lot of this, but we are now starting to get back up and running with these programs once again.

MG You initially carried primarily wine overstocks. How has the business model evolved over the years? What led to the second store opening?
JH Our initial focus on overstocks (I prefer the term to “closeouts”, which are frequently compromised products) was driven by the economy at the time and the realization that there was an unmet market need. One of my friends/competitors from one of the legacy retailers at the time proclaimed outright to me that the availability of the type of product we were featuring would “disappear in less than a year!”. Having spent nearly a decade working in wholesale portfolio management, I knew that nothing could have been further from the truth.

Our product mix has evolved over the years as a result of taking the time to listen to our customers. While there is a certain percentage of the wine-buying public that enjoys exploring and trying something new on a regular basis, there is a significant percentage of customers who prefer to purchase the same wines each visit. In order to retain those customers, we had to weave in a variety of items that would have greater continuity of availability.

MG Lo/No wines and wine cocktails have become very popular. Are you seeing this interest with your customers and if so, what are your thoughts? Any other trends of note?
JH We taste pretty much every potential addition to our product mix. Candidly, outside of a couple of German Riesling offerings (Dr. Loosen comes to mind), I have not found many Lo/No wines that I would feel comfortable putting our good name behind. I know that it is a hot trend and lots of personalities and social media influencers are out there peddling these products, but IMHO it’s all just an attempt to monetize a new product segment. There is no history or tradition here, it’s just a lot of hype. Wine cocktails such as pre-made Mimosas or Bellinis may very well gain some traction from a convenience perspective.

MG What are some regions and/or varietals you’re seeing interest in (either in the trade or for consumers)?
JH We continue to see solid interest in imported wines. Italy in particular seems to capture the imagination of consumers. Lots of folks have been visiting Portugal, Greece, and Spain over the last few years. Travel to a particular wine region always generates a lot of interest.

MG How is the store involved with the local community and any non-profit or other charitable organizations?
JH If you come across any of my social media posts, I regularly state: “Support your local neighborhood businesses as if your local economy depended upon it, because it does!” We always try to remain engaged with our local community and are always looking for opportunities to partner up on some promotion or another. When it comes to charitable/non-profit organizations, we try to focus our efforts through groups such as Rotary.

MG Tariffs on/tariffs off . . . it’s an uncertain and confusing time in the industry these days and it’s impacting all tiers as well as consumers. How are you navigating these challenges?
JH At this point, just about every third customer walking through the door is asking about tariffs and how they are impacting our business. As of the back end of June, we are just now starting to see the impact of tariffs on wholesale prices in the market. The trade needs a 10% tariff as much as it needs a hole in the head . . . it negatively impacts everyone, not just folks on the import side of the business. The regular threats of business-destroying 40+% tariffs created an environment of uncertainty that is going to tie the hands of businesses all along the distribution chain. We simply must take things one day at a time.

MG Ours is an industry with no shortage of leaders and role models. Who are some people who have been mentors or inspirations for you over the years?
JH Roger Ormon at Brookline Liquor Mart was my original mentor and a truly great person. Tom Docktor who hired me for my first real wholesale job in the business at Boston Wine Co. and Bill Brown and Richard Kollack of Classic Wine Imports . . . each taught me the ropes of the trade and how to survive in it for the long run. Lastly, Chris Dufresne my fellow portfolio manager at MS Walker, encouraged my to explore the import side of the business at European Cellars, and then later opened the door for me as a fine wine portfolio manager. I’ve been very fortunate to work with a lot of great people.

MG Long hours, open 7 days a week and holidays . . . retail can be a tough business. How do you balance the work/life ratio and stay motivated and creative?
JH What is this work/life ratio you speak of? LOL!! It all goes back to that article in the BOSTON GLOBE MAGAZINE in 1990 . . . do what you love . . . One of the greatest things about the fine wine, craft beer, and spirits business is that it is always evolving, always changing from year to year. The trade of 1995 had evolved incredibly by 2005 and then 2015. Things have evolved so much over the last thirty years, much for the better (no beepers and pay phones) and some less so (extreme consolidation and over corporatization of what is essentially an agricultural business), but one thing is always consistent: change is exciting, and change inspires.

MG And finally . . . work is done and it’s time to unwind. What’s in your glass these days?
JH Diet Coke . . . just kidding! I currently find myself getting very enthusiastic about unoaked whites from along the Mediterranean Coast, particularly Southern Italy . . . Campania, Puglia, and Sicily.