1936
Franklin D. Roosevelt re-elected in a landslide
First class stamp is 3¢
Spanish Civil War begins
War between Japan and China begins
Jesse Owens stars in Berlin Olympics
The book Gone With the Wind is published
First electric guitars
BBC launches first television shows
Boulder Dam completed
First helicopter flight
Mutiny on the Bounty with Clark Gable wins Best Picture
Minnesota is NCAA football champion
Before there was a Robert Parker, Frank Schoonmaker wrote the book we all read. Schoonmaker visited the store in June 1968 to promote a line of wines he selected. Yes, that’s George Jr., pre-beard, on the left.
A Chicagoland Tradition Since 1936
In the beginning, there was The Boundary Tavern
On January 1, 1936, George J. Schaefer, Sr. opened the doors to his newly purchased tavern named The Boundary. It received its name because of the tavern’s location on Gross Point Road in Skokie (then Niles Center) bordered the neighboring dry communities of Evanston and Wilmette. In addition to being a popular spot with the locals, stories were told of people traveling on the streetcar from the city to visit Memorial Park Cemetery across the street. Before their journey home, weary travelers would stop at The Boundary for a beer and sandwich. In the mid 40s, The Boundary was converted into a package store & renamed as the North Shore tradition we know today-Schaefer’s Wines, Foods & Spirits.
The 1950s brought an increase in European travel and an enhanced appreciation of wine. Schaefer’s saw this trend coming and ran with it. A newly remodeled store, with an expanded wine operation, was to have its grand opening on February 20, 1959. Three days prior, however George Schaefer, Sr. suffered a heart attack, and died the night of the opening. Stepping into this void, unexpectedly, was George’s wife, Eileen. With her innate sense of business and drive, Eileen took this solid foundation and built an ever expanding and thriving business.
In 1966, after graduating from the University of Notre Dame, George, Jr. joined his mother at Schaefer’s. It was this George, who, with his energy, great knowledge of and love of wine, earned Schaefer’s national recognition. Indeed, the store attracted customers nationwide who sought his advice and valued his ethics. In 1970, another member of the family, George’s sister, Gene Schaefer Flynn, joined the family team and assumed many behind-the-scenes duties.
By the 1980s many neighboring communities began allowing the sale of alcohol. To address rising competition, Schaefer’s expanded its focus with products that would complement entertaining such as cheese, patés and appetizers. The idea was a success and “Schaefer’s Deli” soon became a destination.
But, as always, the surest way to ensure continued success is to exceed customer expectations. “Products are pretty much the same wherever you shop” the first George Schaefer said, “it’s the way the customer is treated and the service you provide that creates the value that is remembered.” Indeed, much of the store’s credit, then and now, belongs to its staff. The Schaefer’s organization empowers its team to “wow” customers. This is evidenced by tenure. Schaefer’s key employees total more than 150 years of service, an average of more than 20 years each.
The next chapter
Almost fifty years to the day after Schaefer’s major expansion in 1959, the store witnessed another milestone. In February 2009, the store was purchased by North Shore native Bill Graham. Bill’s purchase of Schaefer’s was preceded by several months by the death of George Schaefer.
Soon after taking the helm, Graham, joined by George’s daughter Anje, kicked off a major store remodeling which included an enlarged selling floor and the inauguration of a new event & tasting space, The Boundary Room. The Graham family, Schaefer’s customers for over fifty years, deeply value the tradition and excellence synonymous with the Schaefer’s name. As Schaefer’s turns 77 years young, it’s still just hitting its stride!
Scrapbooks
Over the years we have been honored to have some of the most important winemakers, importers, chefs, experts, and authors as our guests, and on our buying trips we have been honored to be the guests of many more luminaries.