Gardiner — a quaint, colorful town equidistant from the Hudson River cities of Kingston, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie, and roughly 75 miles north of New York City. Gardiner is home to Tuthilltown Distillery, well-known as New York’s first whiskey distillery since Prohibition, distilling some of America’s most prized spirits right in the Hudson Valley, namely Hudson whiskey.
This charming town is also a hiker’s paradise, nestled below the steep Minnewaska Mountains that are scenically perched between inviting, wide-open rivers. And for the extremely adventuresome, the local ranch attracts a cult following of skydivers that spend entire weekends in Gardiner in their thrilling quests to parachute from planes to earth while taking in the epic views of the towns below.
Gardiner is the home base of Vegan Wines founder Frances Gonzalez. Gonzalez says, “I fell in love with Gardiner after my fiancé’s cousin purchased a home here, but what sealed the deal for me was a visit to Gardiner Liquid Mercantile.”
And it just so happens, the epicenter of this small town is undoubtedly The Gardiner Liquid Mercantile, owned by Gable Erenzo. He’s the son of Ralph Erenzo, owner of the aforementioned Tuthilltown Distillery.
The Gardiner Liquid Mercantile (GLM) opened in spring 2016 to much buzz and hype. This quaint town happily welcomed a breeding ground whose core mission was serving up local wine, spirits, and health-conscious comfort foods in addition to offering up a space to showcase local talent such as musicians, inspired artists, and more. Owned and operated by a lifelong local? Even better!
The Erenzos happen to be long-time friends of mine. Gable has always been the ultra-creative risk-taker and boundary pusher, so it came as no surprise when he informed me of his plans for the business to not only stay “live” but thrive during COVID-19. Leave it to this family to quickly pivot and flourish in the face of adversity.
Both myself and Vegan Wines are staunch supporters of this incredible family and the dwelling place that GLM has created for locals and visitors alike. That’s why we’re thrilled to unveil all of the fun promotions and offerings that Gable has up his cuffed, plaid sleeve (inside joke — Gable wears a lot of plaid).
In addition to their unique gastropub-style menu, the GLM is offering up gluten-free and vegan options along with to-go GLM craft cocktails, beer, wine, cider, sangria, and spirits! Ordering through their online store is quick and easy, so don’t forget to include a six-pack, some pints, or a few bottles of locally made NYS craft beverages.
And in the spirit of lending a hand to those less fortunate, Gardiner Liquid Mercantile is providing food to neighbors in need by offering “pay what you can” meals. Gable says, “The response in the community has been beautiful to watch, with struggling neighbors graciously accepting a hot meal for $1, while those still working or in a position to do so generously pay for multiple meals, ensuring there’s enough to go around.”
If this weren’t altruistic enough, Gable and his team are slowly adding hard-to-find items to their operation, like black nitrile food-safe gloves, that are available to them through their distributors. GLM has been making hand sanitizer since March 6th, when the local stores ran out due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Made with ethanol, glycerol, and hydrogen peroxide, their hand sanitizer is in full compliance with the new TTB and FDA guidelines. GLM has been distributing these to local group homes, nursing homes, ambulance companies, police departments, Ulster County, and the community.
If you cannot afford to buy hand sanitizer, call GLM and they’ll make sure you get what you need!
Many people have asked what they can do to help support the GLM team and their efforts. For those who can and would like to show a little support and love to these wonderful, hard-working people, you may Venmo @gable-erenzo and specify that your contribution is a “donation to the team.”
Other ways to support:
- Review GLM on Yelp or Google
- Donate to the hand sanitizer project through Venmo: @gable-erenzo
- Purchase a GLM gift certificate
