At On Deck, we’ve been making a concerted effort to spend more time with our local customers such as Dirty Bird To-Go and La Pasta Bistro Grill. We’re always interested to learn more about the business owner’s journey, especially how they’ve been able to grow. That’s why we were thrilled when one of our customers Ben Bohen, owner of Waterfront Wines, offered to host a wine tasting for us at his Brooklyn-based retailer.
Amid tasting wine and teaching us the differences between vintage years, Ben spoke about his journey to becoming a small business owner. Having spent 10 years working in the restaurant industry, Ben took his passion for wine and a desire to be his own boss and opened Waterfront Wine & Spirits in 2011.
Located in the burgeoning neighborhood of Brooklyn Bridge Park and inside of a residential condo building, Ben and his partners focused on growing the business organically during the first year. Although they had solid success, Ben wanted to invest heavily in marketing and inventory without disrupting his daily cash flow. After finding On Deck online, his interest was piqued after learning how quickly we could deliver capital. A few short days later, he had the funding he needed to invest in the business.
On his experience, he said “We hadn’t had too much experience with lenders, but On Deck has set the bar pretty high. Our sales representative was prompt, courteous and honest. With the money we were able to invest in the business, we’re trending towards 25% growth this year.”
We wish Ben and the Waterfront Wines & Spirits Team the best of luck! If you’re New York City-based, be sure to check out their store.