Ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrates Imperial Beverage Company’s 12,000-square-foot Traverse City warehouse

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Imperial Beverage Company, a Michigan, family-owned beverage distributor, today celebrated the grand opening of its 12,000-square-foot warehouse at 1430 Industry Drive in Traverse City. The facility will help the company accommodate an expanding portfolio of suppliers, customers, and continue creating job opportunities to support the communities it proudly serves.

“We are thrilled to officially open our doors in Traverse City with this state-of-the-art warehouse in such an amazing community,” said Joe Cekola, president of Imperial Beverage Company. “This expansive new facility is evidence of the hard work, passion, and innovation that drive our employees, help generate jobs, support other small businesses, improve the local economy, and introduce more options for consumers across Michigan. The timing of this grand opening couldn’t be better as Imperial celebrates 90 years in the business of helping our retail and supplier partners, employees, consumers, and communities succeed.”

Imperial Beverage Company started 90 years ago, in 1933, when the Berry family established the business at the end of Prohibition. The Cekola family bought the company in 1984. They have grown it from a one-county Pabst distributor into a statewide beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic wholesaler serving every county in Michigan, every week, all year long, with four locations in Kalamazoo, Livonia, Marquette, and now Traverse City.

Imperial entered the Traverse City market in 2001 with one local sales representative and a delivery truck out of Kalamazoo. Strong relationships and an outstanding local craft beverage portfolio evidence the operation's success. The region now supports 23 employees operating out of the Traverse City facility that covers Northern Michigan from coast to coast.

Imperial’s new warehouse is located about four miles south of downtown Traverse City. Thursday’s ribbon cutting drew state, local, and county dignitaries.

“Thanks to Michigan’s independent and family-owned beer and wine distributors like Imperial Beverage Company, our state is among the Top 5 in beer production, with over 300 small brewers and brew pubs and 140 wineries,” said State Senator John Damoose. “Imperial Beverage’s new Traverse City warehouse demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to creating jobs, supporting small businesses, and giving back to local communities. I look forward to seeing Imperial excel in the Grand Traverse Region and beyond as it continues to help create growth, choices, and competition.”

Imperial Beverage Company is Michigan’s only statewide beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverage distributor. They boast a portfolio of over 7,000 SKUs, offering something for every customer. Imperial has 342 total employees, including specialized support and sales staff who live in the markets they serve.