The Premier Group - CHART Publishing

LIA HONDA ASHLEY FURNITURE FIRST NIAGARA BANK
Presidents,
Mark Notarius
Burt Notarius
Jon Notarius
The Premier Group:
Bringing Great Taste
with Great Service
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Wine
enthusiasts can wax lyrical
on the characteristics of their
favorite vintages while most
people can’t tell you the difference
between a Pinot Noir and a Pinot
Grigio. In Western New York State, The
Premier Group caters to both groups.
The Premier Group is an advertising group
comprised of three member stores. Each of
these super-sized wine and spirits retail stores
features a vast selection and the experts who
are happy to guide customers through their
inventory. The staff makes recommendations
based on a customer’s preferences, tasting
experience and the foods with which they
want to match the wines.
The founding member of the group was
established in 1969 when Burt Notarius and
his family purchased Premier Liquor from its
original openers who established the store in
Kenmore in 1943. Expanded several times
over the years, Premier Liquor, which has
changed its name to Prime Wines, is one
of the largest wine and liquor stores in the
United States. It was one of the first in New
York State to discount liquor and wine, to
advertise exact prices, and to offer a large
selection of imported wines.
12 the marketeer
The second
member of the
group, Premium
The Premier Group provides wine enthusiasts
with a world of selection, value and service
By Jack McGee
Wine & Spirits, was founded in Williamsville
in 1995 by Burt’s sons, Mark and Jonathan
Notarius. Jon sold his share of Premium to
Mark in 2002 and opened Prestige Wine &
Spirits in Orchard Park. Because laws in New
York State limit ownership to one store per
person, each store is independently owned
and operated as a separate business, and
participates individually in an advertising
group under the banner of The Premier
Group.
“In New York State you are allowed to share
advertising in the form of an advertising
group,” says Mark Notarius, president,
Premium Wine & Spirits. “That allows us to
advertise under a single identity and share
advertising expenses. This has allowed us to
increase our marketing coverage, with cost
savings that have enabled us to try new media
such as television, which has proven very
effective.”
Family spirit
The family aspect of the business is extremely
important to the Notarius family. “We all
share an interest in wine, in retailing and in
the opportunity to travel that comes with
buffalo's business-to -business journal

this business,” says Jon Notarius, president,
Prestige Wine & Spirits. “I’m the third
generation if you include my grandfather who
worked in the business with my father. So this
is actually a family tradition and I’m proud of
that.”
Burt Notarius, managing director, Prime
Wines Corp., is widely recognized throughout
the industry. In 1985, he was honored by
Market Watch magazine as one of America’s 12
Leaders in wine and spirit retailing. In a 1993
poll of wine and spirits executives conducted
by the publishers of The Wine Spectator, he
was named Retailer of the Year. In 1999, he
was again recognized as Retailer of the Year by
the other top industry publication, Beverage
Dynamics.
Sibling rivalry aside, the structure of the
group dynamic can sometimes present a
delicate balancing act with the three stores
both complementing and competing. “We’re
actually very competitive with each other,”
Burt Notarius says. “Our catalog prices tend to
be the same, but there are price and selection
differences among the stores based on what
each thinks they can sell.”
The stores carry a vast selection of world-class
wines from Spain, France, Australia and South
America as well as the more popular wines
from California and the West Coast. “The
exotic wine selections are different in each
store,” Burt Notarius says. “Wines are personal
and each store takes a more personal view
of the wines they want to sell.”
size, selection, service
The Premier Group member stores have
a successful formula of value, selection
and service that appeals to a large and
diverse customer base. “We offer a friendly
shopping environment where we are
delivering value, whether that means having
everyday low prices on name brand items
or discovering new products to deliver the
next level of value,” Mark Notarius says.
“The real value to be had in wine is in the
things that have not been discovered yet.
Especially if we can get them at a great
price.”
Size matters as well, according to Jon
Notarius. At around 40,000 square feet,
each store is more than 10 times the size of
the average wine store. Since the stores do
not carry beer, all of that space is devoted to
wine and spirits.
“Just due to the sheer size of our store we
can carry about 6,000 different wines,” Jon
Notarius says. “You can certainly get some
of our wines in other stores but you can’t
get the total broad selection that we offer.”
“There are thousands of products out there
and our mission is to try to deliver the best
possible value to consumers through the
discovery of new products,” Mark Notarius
adds. “In wine there is always the next thing.
We are very proactive in seeking out the best
values.”
The member stores’ expertise in helping
customers discover and enjoy new wines is
important. “We carry thousands of different
wines so people can find the products they
want and also talk to someone about a
country, a grape type or a recommendation
for food,” Burt Notarius says. “We have people
with that knowledge who can communicate
it in a way that the customer understands.
We are passionate about the product and can
provide the information they need to make
good choices.”
The member stores offer wines that range from
$3 to $1,000 a bottle. “That makes us unique
in some ways because some stores specialize
in the really high end and others offer mass
merchant discounts. We have everything for
everyone,” Jon Notarius says.
Clearly, it’s a formula that works. “Ultimately
we judge our success by the number of
satisfied customers who come through our
doors every day,” Mark Notarius says. “We
are proud of the good standing we have in
the community. Everybody knows us and we
certainly want everyone to think well of us.”
Wine
made easy
Pairing the right wine with the right food
can be challenging but rewarding as well.
For those who need help, The Premier
Group website provides a helpful tutorial
on wines from around the world. The site
includes information on food matching,
regions, styles and grapes. Visit www.
premiergroup.net to learn more.
Company Name
The Premier Group: member stores
Prime Wines Corp., Premium Wine
& Spirits, Prestige Wine & Spirits
Type of Business
Wine and spirits retail stores
Number of Employees
115
Years in Business
38 (for the original store)
Key to success
Price, broad selection and staff
expertise plus active community
involvement
What’s Ahead
Expanding its Internet presence by
enhancing current websites to better
reflect the in-store experience
Contact info
Prime Wines Corp.
3445 Delaware Ave.
Kenmore, NY 14217
800-666-6560
www.premiergroup.net
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