Partner Profile | written by: PAMELA DEY VOSSLER | photo by: BAMBI RIEGEL | riegelpictureworks.com
From left: Seán Leary, Alex Leary, Kevin Leary
AS DARIEN CONTINUES TO WELCOME a plethora of exciting new businesses, it is our small, longstanding establishments that hold us steady, maintaining the shape of what brought so many of us to Darien in the first place – the hometown feel of it, the chance to know and be known.
And if that small business is family-owned and has made it to the third generation as Leary’s Liquor Store at 186 Heights Roads has—which just 13% of family-owned businesses do—chances are there is also a very high quality of goods, service, pricing and consistency that keep us coming back for more.
With the largest wine selection in town—in addition to their beer, spirits, champagne, spiked seltzers, canned cocktails, THC-infused stock and more, Leary’s prides itself on the deep knowledge that underpins the choices they make for us. Ever on the watch for new vintners, and special collections in their always-broadening range of offerings, they’ve been at it since 1971 when Frank Leary opened the store.
“When I took over, the liquor business was really changing,” said Kevin Leary, Darien High School Class of ’79, who joined Frank, his dad, in 1992 to co-lead the business. “More people were starting to drink wine, and customer tastes were shifting,” he recalled.
“We had to adapt, bring in new selections, learn more about different regions and varietals, and help our customers discover things they might not have tried before,” added Kevin, who applied all he had learned during the 13 years he spent representing a leading wine distributor prior to working for Leary’s.
Never a static thing, Kevin has devoted his career to an ongoing study of wines and staffed the store with others as knowledgeable as he is. Seán Leary, Kevin’s son, joined the business in 2023. He promptly channeled the work ethic that took him through Fairfield Prep (Class of ’17), Fordham University (Class of ’21)—including a major in marketing and consumer behavior psychology, and four years of varsity rugby, as well as McCann Erickson where he rose to the position of global strategist during the three years he spent in the corporate world in New York City before signing on with his dad, to learn all he could about wine.
“We aim to be more than a store by offering friendly, personalized service and building genuine connections with our customers,” –Kevin Leary
Through an intensive six-month course of near daily Zooms, building on his existing passion for wine and interest in history, social sciences and anthropology, Seán earned a graduate certificate in viticulture and enology (e.g., grape growing and winemaking) from the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and is also on a continuing mission to deepen his knowledge of wines and the varying traditions of wine making in different parts of the world.
These guys know their wine.
…and they know the importance of authentic connection and personal service. At Leary’s, they know your name, your kids’ names …your extended family even. They know the wine you like, the beer you drink …that bourbon you splurge on, your go-to tequila, your brand of vodka and the gift you come for every year. Never ones to limit their line to any one production process, they are driven, rather, by the quality of how a wine or spirit is rendered which is why they carry everything from commercial favorites to specialty spirits. And if they don’t have what you’re looking for, they’ll order it for you, by the case if that’s your preference.
“Anyone can get a liquor license in the state of Connecticut if you file the correct paperwork and pay the fees, but not everyone can have that level of relationship with a customer,” said Seán who, along with his wife Alex who left a growing career in cybersecurity to join the business in 2024, is fed as much by customer interaction as the thrill of discovering new products to carry—which they hunt for on travels throughout the region and world every chance they get.
“We aim to be more than a store by offering friendly, personalized service and building genuine connections with our customers,” added Kevin. “This community spirit, marked by lasting relationships and local support of nonprofits (too many to name, I asked), is why we’ve thrived through the decades, and we appreciate everyone who continues to include us in their celebrations,” he said.
What’s more, at Leary’s, you really will find the best prices in town, as the sign outside their store advertises. (The state of Connecticut mandates a minimum they must charge but they don’t move much beyond that.)
…and their dog Clementine really is the friendliest, they are quick to assert …with a good-natured laugh, acknowledging their shameless bias for their liquor store pooch.
The Learys also know what it takes to make a family business work …that it isn’t always easy but it’s always worth it.
“You have to be able to talk openly, about the business, the challenges and the hopes for the future. It’s not just about handing over the keys; it’s about sharing the knowledge, the stories and the values that built the business in the first place,” explained Kevin. “A big part of it is also remembering that
I was in Seán’s shoes 35 years ago. I know what it feels like to step into a family business. There’s excitement, but also pressure to live up to what came before. That’s why communication and patience are so important. You have to give the next generation the room to make their own mark while still guiding them with experience and support,” he added.
Amidst so much change, there is comfort in businesses like Leary’s. They are part of the equation that adds up to a place to come from, and return to. They give us a certainty from which to live our lives …and a place to find one heckuva good bottle of wine.
