Before he even opened a new Cork & Barrel Wine and Spirits store last September at 901 Miss., Dan Blomgren already had plenty of experience selling liquor in the Old West Lawrence neighborhood.

“When I was in college, I actually worked at Patterson Liquor (now Dodson Liquor & Keg, 846 Ill.), which is right across from my new location. And I worked at Jensen Liquor (620 W. Ninth St.). So I knew what kind of volume that area was generating from my working there back in the 1980s,” said Blomgren, 36.

“At the time, I didn’t know I was doing market research  I thought I just had a part-time job. But it came back to help me.”

The 1988 graduate of Kansas University knew the neighborhood intimately from his younger days. So last summer when Doug Brown, a leasing agent with Coldwell Banker McGrew Real Estate, called Blomgren to tell him the 901 Miss. location  formerly the home of Community Mercantile Co-op  would be available, Blomgren was immediately interested.

“That side of town needed a better liquor store with a wider selection and more competitive pricing. I drove around the whole area (after talking with Brown), and basically I decided I could do it better,” Blomgren recalled.

Location’s history

The 901 Miss. site was home to the Community Mercantile Co-op  known as The Merc  from June 1993 to May 31, 2001.

Before that, the building housed a bowling alley, bars and dance clubs.

Blomgren said he felt certain the location would make for a successful retail liquor business.

“There are a lot of students in the area, and you’ve got Old West Lawrence to pull from. It’s on a busy thoroughfare (Ninth Street) that takes you right downtown,” he said.

“The fact that Lawrence is committed to preserving our downtown as the major retail shopping district is another factor. I know Ninth Street will continue to be busy, because downtown will continue to be busy.”

Ownership of the new Cork & Barrel is in Blomgren’s name, while ownership of the Cork & Barrel store at 23rd and Iowa streets is in the name of his wife, Jill.

State law limits an individual to one liquor store license.

To secure city, state and federal liquor licenses for the 901 Miss. location, Blomgren sold his store in the Parkway Shopping Center at Clinton Parkway and Kasold Drive.

Blomgren signed a 10-year lease on the new location.

‘Sparking that passion’

The venture in the Old West Lawrence neighborhood seems to be a success.

“It’s doing great. We had a fantastic holiday season there. The one thing that I’ve come to realize is that the students have found the store immediately, so the weekend business is great. What I’m starting to concentrate on is the (year-round) residential business, the family business in the area,” Blomgren said.

The new store has 12 full- and part-time employees. The building offers 9,600 square feet to merchandise beer, wine and liquor. It has the same layout as the store at 23rd and Iowa, but is only 75 percent as big.

Parking, which was often a problem when The Merc occupied 901 Miss., doesn’t appear to be an issue for Cork & Barrel.

“For years, The Merc trained the public how to get in and out of here. I haven’t had to do that. Is there enough parking? Sure. The difference is that the majority of my customers are out in a few minutes,” Blomgren said.

The lot has about 45 parking spots, according to Blomgren.

And he doesn’t mind that KU home football games throw traffic patterns in the neighborhood into chaos.

Rather than bemoaning the influx of cars, Blomgren welcomes the swirl of activity.

“I get 60,000 people walking past my store on football game days. And those who aren’t walking past the store are having parties because it’s a game day,” he said. “I love home games.”

Blomgren, a St. Louis native, opened his first store in Lawrence in August 1988. He taught himself the business by reading a ton of books, taking classes  and tasting a lot of wine.

He has no doubt he’s in the right field.

“I thoroughly enjoy wine. It’s a passion of mine, and I love watching that passion grow in other people, too. If I can help spark that passion, I love that,” he said.

“My biggest thrill is when people come in and say, ‘You know that wine you recommended? It was awesome.'”