We Started Here
We started this business in 1995 with nothing but a lot of ideas and a lot of heart. Our first home was in a fantastic converted warehouse on Putnam Street, hence the name. Putnam Wine opened in 1998, and allowed us to focus on matching great foods and wines.
We Moved Here
We moved to Broadway in May 2000 and today we sell millions of dollars of great food and great wine to a wide community of customers. We have changed the mix and layout over time, but the central idea has not changed. We sell The Good Stuff.
We are a family business in a family town
The founders, Catharine Hamilton and Gloria Griskowitz, are sisters from a family of eight children, all of whom are entrepreneurs.
Gloria developed significant experience in retail mix management during her 7 year career with Bristol Myers Squibb and Clairol. She has a business degree from Gettysburg College. She and her husband Greg have four children.
Gloria loves to entertain and is a master hostess.
Catharine spent 12 years with GE in sales & marketing before opening Putnam Market. She has degrees in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and an MBA from the London Business School. Catharine also teaches in the Business Department at Skidmore College.
She loves to cook.
William is English, is married to Catharine, and is the Wine Director for Putnam Market. For 10 years before moving to the US, William worked in production for British television with most of the output about food and wine. William also has an MBA from London Business School. He and Cathy have two children.
William earned his Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) in 2007 and is approved as an instructor for this global certification. Find more information here.
