If you’re not familiar with Columbia County’s history in the Hudson Valley, you may not know about Miller’s Tavern – a historic landmark in West Taghkanic. Built by Wm. Rockefeller before 1770, the tavern served as the site of Taghkanic’s first town meeting in 1803. Now, the historic building is the recognizable exterior of Taconic Wine & Liquor, which hopes to continue the tradition of serving its community with a generous wine and liquor selection.
While the wine and liquor shop has a longstanding history in Miller’s Tavern, it wasn’t until just about a year ago that new owner Evan Mann reopened the new and improved version of Taconic Wine & Liquor. An often-overlooked spot, Evan saw an opportunity to change the shop for the better as a beverage-lover himself when the property became available.
Evan and his wife Luloo were no strangers to the Hudson Valley community when they stumbled upon their small business endeavor. After moving to Ancram at the end of 2013, the Manns have since become familiar with the scenic vistas and quiet country living of the region, having managed a farm for over a decade for a restaurant that has since closed down. Consequently, the couple always felt a need to purposefully connect to the surrounding land and communities.
“Columbia County and its surrounds have so much to offer, both naturally and culturally, that we knew we had landed in the right place,” says Evan.
Even before their farm ended operations, Evan had always intended to open a wine shop in the West Taghkanic area, but accessing a space to do so was not so easy. He and his wife, who live just up the road from Miller’s Tavern, were tuned into the building’s many evolutions over the years, which presented the perfect opportunity to catch an opening at the right time.
Although the pandemic delayed plans to open the shop sooner, Evan was finally able to debut the new and improved Taconic Wine & Liquor in 2023, and the community response has been positive ever since. Even though he decided to keep the name of the previous liquor shop, he still expects to bring exciting changes to the store in the future, as does the new owner of Miller’s Tavern, who is taking his time with renovations to show the old building the care it deserves.
While Evan has plenty of experience working in restaurants, on farms, and behind bars, this is his first entrepreneurial endeavor in the retail space. His travels have informed his taste in wine and liquor, and he brings those coveted, interesting bottles to his shop for the West Taghkanic community to enjoy, all while keeping the same price point as the previous shop, if not offering more affordable options.
At Taconic Wine & Liquor, you’ll find everything from Old World wines to organic blends, in both modern and ancient styles. Overall, the store focuses on smaller producers and sustainable practices, offering fun wines and liquors outside of the familiar. Taconic Wines also pays homage to Hudson Valley producers with a growing local selection.
“We just had our one-year anniversary, and the future looks promising. With lots of community support, we hope to grow the business and hold more tasting events and partner up with other vendors to use some of our outdoor space,” affirms Evan.
Taconic Wine & Liquor is located within the historic Miller’s Tavern at 920 NY-82 in West Taghkanic.
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