SAM'S WINE HAS THE SPECIALTY-FOODS SPIRIT

WILLIAM SMYTH

CHICAGO -- Sam's Wine and Spirits on Marcey Street here has been serving Chicago-area residents with wine and liquor since 1942 and three years ago the store added a giant specialty-foods section to its already big product list.

Within the walls of the 33,000-square-foot superstore lies a 2,500-square-foot specialty store called the Marcey St. Marketplace. What started out as a wine and premium goods store has become the largest liquor store in the country in terms of sales.

The business started out as a neighborhood saloon owned and operated by Sam Rosen. Sam's son, Fred Rosen, built up the business and, multiple transformations later, the store moved to its current location on North Marcey Street.

Until 1996 the store was generating about $30 million in annual sales. Now it pulls in approximately $42 million annually and, with the addition of the Marketplace, the store has the opportunity to merchandise an array of products. Fred's two sons, Darryl and Brian, currently run the business.

"There is no other place that I can think of that has this kind of service and selection," said Reysa Samuels, gourmet director for the Marketplace. "We have something for everyone."

According to Samuels, the emphasis on the shelf-stable products in the Marketplace is based on entertainment or foods that can be a centerpiece for wine, cocktails and friends. The center store has more than 2,000 stockkeeping units of grocery items that include products such as chips, dips, salsas, hot sauces, imported olives, 12 feet of olive oils and balsamic vinegar and a collection of domestic and foreign chocolates.

Cheese represents 60% of sales, and an estimated $70,000 is taken in weekly throughout the entire Marketplace. Twenty-four feet are devoted to more than 250 different types of "cut-to-order" cheeses that are imported from such countries as France, Germany, Spain and Italy. Signs are set up for every cheese and there are a number of fliers for simple pairing.

There is also a 6-foot section of prosciutto, salamis and pates, and 12 feet of the Marketplace handles precut items like Parmesan cheese.

However, the wine section at Sam's is what makes the store an institution to the locals. There are more than 5,000 different types of wine, sectioned by region, in 20 aisles of space. Aisles 21 to 32 are designated for cordials, liquor, beer and mixers.

Wines from every country in the world line the racks, from Chardonnays and Merlots to $7,000 bottles of Black Bowmore Scotch -- of which three were sold last year. A conveyor belt spans the store and reaches back into an inventory of approximately 50,000 bottles worth an estimated $10 million.

"Our staff travels the world to find and know new wines and cheese and they are really passionate about their work. Because it is one place, all the energy is focused in this one building," said Samuels.

The decor of the Marketplace includes shelving so tall that cherry pickers are used to get items from atop the shelves.

According to Samuels, the color scheme for Sam's is burgundy, white and green. The floor area is made of white tiles with "French" style paintings on each one. The cases for wine are chrome and white, and there is also a walk-in humidor for cigars.

Gift baskets, also a big business at Sam's Marketplace, account for 20% of sales. The staff of 20 at Sam's, six full-timers and 14 part-timers, is required to talk to customers about the products and offer suggestions on wine and cheese pairing if necessary. "People are intimidated when they come in here because the selection is so huge," said Samuels.

"The staff here can help them find exactly what they want." Customers can also taste any of the cheeses or wines to sample their purchase before actually buying it.

Seminars and taste-testing sessions are another prominent fixture at Sam's, and throughout the year Sam's will offer seminars for consumers on pairing cheeses with different wines. These evening sessions average 35 attendees, and Sam's also has special wine evenings with an ethnic theme (Italian, French and Spanish) that can hold more than 350 people on any given evening.

"Most liquor stores focus on just wine and cheese," said Samuels. "We have everything you can think of."