Meet Saurabh Abrol – A NJ Entrepreneur and Founder of WineChateau.com
This week I got to interview Saurabh Abrol, a 29-year-old graduate from NJIT who has created a popular online liquor site called Winechateau.com. As a boy, Abrol worked in his father’s liquor store and combined his knowledge of computer science and liquor store retail into a very successful, new business. After only being open for four years, this year he expects revenue to hit $15 million. The site has all different kinds of liquor, but wine is by far the big online attraction, accounting for 72 percent of WineChateau.com’s business.
You can find Wine Chateau on Facebook
You can follow the Saurabh Abrol on Twitter @Mr_Abrol and the store on Twitter @winechateau
Here are some questions I had for him:
1. How did you get started in the wine business?
My father, Arun Abrol, started the wine business in 1994. After graduating college in 2002, I joined forces with him and started our first internet website called WineChateau.com. From the success of the dot com, we expanded our brick & mortar locations. Now we have three store locations and an online presence.
2. Do you have a favorite kind of wine?
I love a great Napa Valley Cabernet. This full-bodied red is extremely enjoyable with a meaty dinner.
3. Do you have any recommendations on wine for a special occasion?
Usually for any type of special occasion or an event, you want to go with a wine that will appeal to a larger group of guests. Italian red blends work quite well for that type of scenario.
4. As a Jersey guy, do you have a favorite vineyard in NJ?
Laurita Winery is a beautiful family owned winery that I’ve personally enjoyed before.
5. What is your advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Pay much more attention than I did. Focus on your long term goals and use your coursework to prepare yourself and to build
the skills you’ll need to accomplish your dreams.
6. Have you ever made your own wine? If not, are you interested in doing so and what would you call it?
I have never made my own wine as I know I would be terrible at it. However, if I did, I would name is Mehak which is my wife’s name and the name means ‘beautiful bouquet’.