Jonathan Baker – Owner
Jonathan began working in the beverage alcohol industry as soon as he was eighteen and has been engrossed in it since. After tending bar at various Berkshire County establishments he took his act to Boston where he attended the University of Massachusetts Boston and apprenticed under some of the greatest wine and spirits minds in our Commonwealth’s capitol. With a solid background in the finer things in life and a taste for expensive Burgundy and Cognac, Jonathan moved to Connecticut to be a sales representative for the wholesaler Brescome Barton. As a salesman, Jonathan completed his edification in all things alcohol, obtaining certificates, degrees, and awards in both wine and spirits knowledge and palate. (Yes, such things do exist!). It did not take long to outgrow the corporate confines of working at a large wholesale house and with the prospect of owning a business in Williamstown on the horizon, he and his wife Tracy quit their jobs, sold their home and headed back to the Berkshires. Jonathan handles the day to day operations of The Spirit Shop and is a great source of knowledge on pretty much every product they sell. In his free time, Jon enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons, Jackson and Brecken, and his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Tracy Baker- Co-Owner
Tracy met Jonathan the summer before her senior year at Williams College. After she graduated in 2003 she moved to Boston to work for a small hedge fund. After marrying Jonathan in 2005, they moved to Connecticut where she worked as an analyst for Travelers Insurance. Tracy has a love for wine, and this love was fostered by the dwindling sample budget Jon received from his job as a wholesale salesperson. It was not very difficult to convince Tracy to come back to Williamstown and purchase a landmark from her college career. Tracy’s strong analytic and organizational skills keep the business running smoothly. She also handles marketing and The Spirit Shop’s in store wine/beer tastings. When not working at her day job at Primary Venture Partners in Williamstown, Tracy enjoys a nice big Napa Cabernet or finer Burgundy, playing outside with her sons, running, and complaining about how messy Jon is. Tracy also ran her first full marathon in Napa Valley in 2016 with fellow shop employee Brittany Choquette. And promptly celebrated with wine after!
Garrit Baker- General Manager
Garrit is Jonathan’s brother and Jonathan and Tracy were extremely lucky to have him join them in 2009 and keep the business a family affair. Garrit comes the Spirit Shop with a strong background in customer service and a passion for whiskey – mainly Scotch. He’s the guy to see when you are looking for some premium brown spirits. He also manages the store’s impressive craft beer selection and is Jonathan’s right hand man in operations. His other passions include making great coffee and music.