Retail Wine Specialist
About the role
Acker, the oldest and most respected wine shop in America, is hiring a full-time Retail Wine Specialist, based at our retail wine store on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, to help customers select wine and spirits in the Acker store. Working alongside Acker’s fine wine specialists and auction team, this role offers direct exposure to rare and allocated bottles and a clientele of serious collectors, enthusiasts, and investors. This role also ensures the store is appropriately stocked with merchandise, performs transactions such as sales and returns, and maintains and continually grows personal knowledge of wine industry trends. This position is ideal for a wine enthusiast looking to combine a sales background with deep, ongoing wine expertise.
Responsibilities
- Maintain and continually deepen personal knowledge of wine regions, producers, varietals, and vintages—as well as broader industry trends—to provide clients with expert, credible recommendations.
- Build rapport through informed, knowledgeable conversation and honest recommendations, drawing on strong personal wine knowledge to guide customers toward bottles that fit their taste and budget.
- Translate wine knowledge into compelling shelf talkers and product descriptions that help customers make confident choices.
- Gain firsthand exposure to rare and allocated bottles, staff tastings, and inventory passing through Acker’s auctions and retail store.
- Provide exceptional service to customers in-store and over the phone.
- Ring up sales and arrange for delivery or pick-up of customer orders as needed.
- Support and help host special events and in-store tastings, offering guests informed recommendations.
- Build long-term customer relationships, including inviting guests to join the wine club.
- Support Fine and Rare and Business Development managers and team members.
- Assist in setting up merchandise displays on the sales floor.
- Other related duties as assigned from time to time