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Kane County Chronicle

Geneva Wine Cellars closing after nearly 13 years

Declining sales, increased expenses, new tariffs led to decision to close

Geneva Wine Cellars and Tasting Room owner Al Buchanan announced in the business’ online newsletter that it is closing after nearly 13 years.

Located at the Berry House at 227 S. Third St. in Geneva, the company sold wine by the glass, bottle and case. It featured French wines from Burgundy, Rhône, Alsatian, Langudoc-Roussillon and wines from Italy, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Australia and New Zealand.

The store hosted tastings and education about the various features wines – where they were from, the grapes they were made from and how to swirl them and smell their bouquets.

On weekends, the shop also offered live music.

“I regretfully announce the imminent closure of Geneva Wine Cellars and Tasting Room,” Buchanan wrote in a message to customers. “We are closing our doors purely for financial reasons: revenues have consistently decreased over the past three years while operating expenses have continued to increase.”

Other factors include demographics, reduced wine consumption due to health concerns, increased cannabis use, “as well as general economic fear and malaise and recent tariffs on European wines,” Buchanan wrote.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that President Trump’s tariffs are illegal.

“These factors and others have caused sharp drops in revenues affecting the entire wine industry,” Buchanan wrote. “Decreased revenues combined with increased operating expenses have caused some of the largest winemaking operations in the United States to recently close their doors. Sadly, we join them today.”

The store is having a going-out-of-business sale this weekend to clear out its inventory.

“I opened Geneva Wine Cellars and Tasting Room in 2013 with big dreams,” Buchanan wrote.

“Over the past twelve-plus years owning this business I have made so many friends and had so many wonderful experiences. I treasure all of them. It was a good run, but it is time for me to move forward with new challenges including my busy law practice,” he wrote.

Brenda Schory

Brenda Schory

Brenda Schory covers Geneva, crime and courts, and features for the Kane County Chronicle