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Matthew Spirn of the Northport Tasting Room and Wine Cellar

Matthew Spirn
Northport Tasting Room and Wine Cellar
Farmingdale SBDC

The Northport Tasting Room & Wine Cellar is a wine tasting bar and shop located on picturesque Main St in Northport. Matthew Spirn, a life long resident of the area, decided he wanted to become more involved in his community by participating in the revitalization of the downtown area. In February 2007, he visited the Farmingdale SBDC and talked to Business Advisor Walter Reid about his idea. Mr. Reid, a former retail buyer, worked with Mr. Spirn to calculate opening inventory levels, determine start-up costs, and develop a business plan. The Research Network provided Mr. Spirn with data on the wine industry, including trends, the most popular brands and types, and reports on wine producers, wine wholesalers, and similar businesses. After the business plan was complete, Mr. Spirn met with private investors and secured all the funds needed to start the business. The shop was renovated to reflect the original early 20th century decor. Mr. Spirn, a former music and video producer, and his sommelier offer a large variety of Long Island and New York State produced wines. The business consists of a wine tasting room and attached retail shop. One of Mr. Spirn’s goals was to “Keep Northport in Northport” and the Northport Tasting Room and Wine Cellar does just that. The business, with its old world flavor, was an instant success and is a nice addition to downtown Northport.