The Wine Source: Preserving a neighborhood institution and a founding owner’s legacy

When The Wine Source, a 34-year old neighborhood favorite, was put on the market by its longtime owner David Wells early in 2024, the 9,500 sq. ft. shop’s workers were worried about what that might mean for them. But BRED had developed a track record of successful conversions to worker-ownership—including three businesses within blocks of the Wine Source—and stepped in to help when the workers reached out. With BRED’s help, the workers were able by September to negotiate with the exiting owner and take over the shop themselves as a worker cooperative, buying out the retiring founder while preserving the legacy of the business he created.

“We found we were all coming to work with the same kind of mission and vision, and we had all been brought to this place and felt that this place was offering something different to the community and its customers and its employees. We wanted to preserve that.”
—Caitlin O’Connor, Wine Source worker-owner

Read more on how BRED helped convert The Wine Source to worker-ownership:

Baltimore Fishbowl: From Red Emma’s to the Wine Source, Baltimore a hotbed of local worker-cooperative financing: Baltimore Roundtable for Economic Democracy is helping businesses make money and an impact

The Baltimore Banner: Pop a bottle: Hampden’s Wine Source to become worker-owned cooperative

The Baltimore Sun: The Wine Source is now a worker-owned cooperative. Will the Hampden store inspire more co-ops?