NOVEMBER 2021
BERKSHIRE TRADE & COMMERCE
GETTING started
23
spotlight on new business ventures
He added that members of Départ’s staff are also available to host tastings at people’s homes and other locations. In addition to the store’s retail role, Bruno said it is also designed as a site for events. BY JOHN TOWNES The space has a long table and chairs in the In addition to specialty wine and beer, center which allow for the hosting of wine Départ, a new shop in downtown Great Bartastings, dinner parties and other activities. rington is featuring an emerging category of It is available for booking for private non-alcoholic versions of those beverages. tastings and parties. “People can book the Départ opened at 28 Railroad St. in July space, and we’ll close the store during that in an 800-square-foot storefront. time,” he said. “It’s very wine focused, with smallIt also is being used for public events, such production wines from around the world,” as tastings, classes about wine and related said owner David Bruno. “We also carry a topics, and other activities. smaller selection of craft beers and ciders. These also include events that are not In addition we have a large selection of nonjust focused on beverages. For example, in alcoholic alternatives.” early October, Départ hosted the first public Bruno explained that “dealcoholized” premier of Blue Vice, a film by Berkshirewine, beer and spirits is a segment of based dance company the market that has been gaining visibility “Many people want to enjoy BODYSONNET. the rituals and taste of fine Bruno noted that in the past couple of years for a combi- wine and beer and cocktails. activities are posted on the store’s Instagram nation of reasons. It has been stimulated But they want to avoid alcohol page, www.instagram. by the COVID pan- to remain sober, or for other com/Depart_wine. The Great Barrington demic, due to changes health or personal reasons.” store is part of a larger in people’s lifestyles. venture that Bruno is launching. He is also “It’s an emerging trend that has become currently preparing to open a Départ outlet in more popular during the pandemic,” Bruno the Moynihan Train Hall in New York City, said. “Many people want to enjoy the rituals a retail section that is under development as and taste of fine wine and beer and cocktails. part of a major expansion of that city’s Penn But they want to avoid alcohol to remain Station transit hub. sober, or for other health or personal reasons. Bruno moved from New York to the BerkSo they are exploring other beverages that shires in 2020. His wife works for Iredale offer these experiences minus the alcohol Cosmetics in Great Barrington. content.” Bruno began his career in fashion retailing While Départ (413-645-3663) is initially with Bergdorf Goodman. He then started a focused on wine and beer, Bruno noted that menswear line, Todd Snyder. After selling this market also includes non-alcoholic that company, he moved into the food and version of spirits such as whiskey and gin, beverage industry. “That had always been cocktails and other beverages. He said he an interest of mine,” he said. expects to expand into that to some extent. He worked with Verve Wine. He also Départ is working with brands and suphelped to launch the One White Street respliers of these products, such as Leitz, a taurant in Tribeca in New York. After movnon-alcoholic wine, and Figlia, a zero-proof ing here, he also consulted on the opening aperitivo. He is also partnering with Boisson, of the Twoflower cafe at 34 Railroad St. a small group of non-alcoholic liquor stores earlier this year. in New York City. Prior to moving to the Berkshires, Bruno These beverages are prepared in ways that also had working with a team in New York to are similar to their alcoholic counterparts. develop the concept for Départ. Their origiHowever, they go through additional steps nal plan had been to open in the Moynihan that remove the alcohol content. Train Hall. For example, dealcoholized wine follows “However, there are a lot of complexities the same fermentation process as standard in that site, so it has taken a while to put that wine. But it is also put through additional together,” he said. “In the meantime, I found processes at the end to remove the alcohol. a space in Great Barrington, and we decided This may include using vacuums and heat to open here first.” to distill off the alcohol. Another method He said their goal is to open the New York is the use of high-pressure gravity spinstore next year. ners and filters to separate the wine from In the longer term, Bruno plans to open other the alcohol. Départ stores. “The concept is to open stores Départ has a staff of about five people, in several locations,” he said. “We’re looking including two managers. They all are trained at various locations around the country.”u experts on wine and beverages, Bruno noted.
‘Dealcoholized’ wines are part of package at Départ
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David Bruno’s inventory at his new shop, Départ, in downtown Great Barrington, emphasizes small-production wines from around the world as well as several in the “dealcoholized” niche. (Photo courtesy of Départ)
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