Top Shelf Collective: A New Home for Favorite Local Companies

While the names of some iconic local businesses won’t be changing — The Liquor Store, Jackson Hole Wine Club, Jackson Hole Marketplace, Jackson Hole Gift Baskets, and The Vault of Jackson Hole — they will now be operating under a new parent entity: Top Shelf Collective. In essence, the move to congregate the constellation of local business entities under one umbrella of leadership will enhance the group’s alignment to their values and goals, says CEO Stephan Abrams. 

“Top Shelf Collective is the overarching entity,” he explains. “It embodies our bold beliefs, mission, values, and how we want to lead.” The name is a play on the first business in the group: The Liquor Store. “The wine or liquor that’s on the top shelf is a little more expensive, but it’s also of better quality. We offer a high level of service, and that’s very important to us,” reflects Abrams.

“We strive to be viewed as ‘Top Shelf;’ it provides a compass that gives us direction for when we make decisions, how we solve problems, and how we address opportunities. It helps us build inspiration from within that allows us to perform at our best each day,” Abrams says. 

The name also reflects the group’s dedication to collaborative, inviting energy. “Ultimately, we are a collection of businesses and of people. We felt that ‘Collective’ is welcoming and speaks authentically to who we are,” explains Abrams. “We embrace and embody a servant leadership model. As opposed to the old traditional model of everything feeding up to the CEO, instead, everything feeds up to the customer.” This model, says the Top Shelf Collective leader, creates a culture of authenticity, enthusiasm, and accountability across all levels of the organization. 

Over the past decade, the businesses that comprise Top Shelf Collective have flourished under Abrams’ leadership. In 2012, Jackson Hole Marketplace made its initial appearance online — a platform dedicated to selling locally sourced goods and gift baskets filled with Jackson Hole-crafted goodies. Five years later, in 2017, Jackson Hole Marketplace moved into its current brick-and-mortar location south of town complete with a deli, gourmet grocery items, and adult beverage selection. The following year, Abrams and The Liquor Store co-owner Rod Everett launched their podcast, the Jackson Hole Connection; with thousands of dedicated listeners, the series recently released its 160th episode.

The most recent addition to the Top Shelf Collective constellation of ventures is The Vault of Jackson Hole. A 6,400 square-foot warehouse located a few miles south of town, The Vault offers wine lockers and wine storage with climate control to preserve patrons’ collections of excellent wine. 

Like the past decade, the future for Top Shelf Collective looks bright. “What I foresee for Top Shelf is that we continue to strive to improve 1% every day and that we continue to be known as the employer of choice in the communities where we operate,” says Abrams. “To always look for continual improvement within ourselves, which will translate to a better experience — always a Top Shelf experience — for everyone that we serve.

Top Shelf Collective, based in Jackson Hole, WY, is dedicated to serving the greater Jackson Hole community and making a positive impact through all of its diverse ventures. A Certified Great Place to Work, the constellation of businesses under the umbrella — including The Liquor Store, Jackson Hole Marketplace, JH Connection, Vault of Jackson Hole, and more — is proud to ensure that every customer interaction is Top Shelf every time. For more information please email chad@wineliquorbeer.com.