JJ Buckley Fine Wines was founded as the fine wine retail arm of WineCommune LLC, the popular online wine auction company started in 1999. Now JJ Buckley has established itself as one of the premier fine wine retailers in the U.S and was recently named one of the top ten places to buy wine in Food and Wine Magazine. JJ Buckley sells more than a half a million dollars worth of wine a week to a domestic and international client base.
The business was officially established in 1999 by Michael Stajer in Berkeley, California, out of his Berkeley apartment. Then a law student at Hastings, San Francisco, Michael experienced the difficulty of locating, buying and selling fine wines while working for a high end restaurant as manager and wine buyer. Michael, self taught in software programming, turned this burden into a solution and developed WineCommune.com, an online wine auction site.
Six months later, Shaun Bishop, then an equity options market-maker on the Pacific Exchange in San Francisco, joined forces with Michael as investor and co-partner. Together they worked to grow the company giving it a “facelift” and continually improving user features and using per click advertising technology to increase its web presence. WineCommune’s honest, underground nature quickly became the best known secret to buying and selling wine. WineCommune grew and soon moved to Emeryville, California with celebrity neighbors like Pixar Animation Studios.
With a new office/warehouse space and a small band of employees, the company was able to offer special features like wine brokering and consignment. Looking around the wine industry, Michael and Shaun saw the same inefficiencies in the retail market. It was only natural that the company adopt a retail arm to bring the same streamlining they brought to the auction market to the retail market.
WineCommune became both a technology company connecting wine buyers and sellers, as well as a fine wine retail company that Michael Stajer and Shaun Bishop named JJ Buckley (after Michael’s dog, Buckley, and Shaun’s two daughters, Jamie and Joanna). Today, under the WineCommune umbrella lives JJ Buckley, a wine retailer, WineZap, a wine search engine, as well as smaller entities, WineBoss, a cellar management software and WineAuctionPrices.com.
JJ Buckley employs 40 wine professionals in a 30,000 square foot retail and warehouse space located in Oakland,California, just east of San Francisco and one hour south of the Napa Valley. In 2008, the San Francisco Business Times named JJ Buckley ‘The Fastest Growing Private Company in the San Francisco Bay Area.’ In addition, for the second year in a row, Inc. Magazine named it the ‘Fourth Fastest Growing Private Food & Beverage Company in the U.S in 2008.’
Product and Selection
Our extensive real-time inventory of over 6,000 fine wines at competitive prices gives our customers an extensive selection – from superb values to the old and rare. Our main wine category is Classified Growth Bordeaux, where we offer a wide range of both in-stock and en primeur (wine futures) selections. Each year, the entire JJ Buckley sales staff travels to Bordeaux to taste, select, and find new and exciting wines. Additional trips to Bordeaux are made each year by the JJ Buckley buying team to select and secure wines, and negotiate with local suppliers and producers. Because we buy directly from reliable suppliers and producers, and bypass the European exporters, American importers and wholesalers, we can be confident that our prices are always the best. We take extreme care to direct import all the wines in refrigerated, temperature-controlled containers.
We offer an extensive selection of domestic wines, ranging from terrific values to rare collectables such as Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate. In addition, we offer an in depth range of wines from Rhone, Burgundy, Champagne, Italy, Australia, Spain, Germany, and New Zealand.
In 2008, JJ Buckley became the first wine retailer in the country to offer a ‘Price Match Guarantee,’ reassuring our customers of our belief that one never should pay more than one has to, even for fine and rare wines.
As a policy, we will continue to expand our outstanding selection of wines. While so doing, rest assured that we tirelessly seek out the finest wines and take great pride in continuing to offer you honest, impartial, and knowledgeable advice.
Customer Service and Logistics
JJ Buckley prides itself on its integrity and providing honest, impartial, and knowledgeable advice. We strive to give the best possible customer service with an emphasis on retaining customers rather than securing the sale. We know our service is defined not just by the quality of our wines, but by the quality of our people. This belief is core to our business and we will remain a top priority. One of our Fine Wine Specialists or Customer Service people is always available to help, no matter the day or time, 24/7. Our entire inventory is real-time, so you know exactly what we have at any given time. All orders placed before 3pm PST, ship the same day and we offer multiple shipping options, including same day delivery, overnight, and ground. We also arrange refrigerated shipments of larger orders. Should you choose to delay your shipping, we offer free storage in our temperature controlled warehouse for up to 90 days after your purchase.
Commitment to Our Community and Environment
In 2007, JJ Buckley became the nation’s first carbon neutral wine retailer, offsetting its carbon footprint through Carbonfund.org, the country’s leading carbon reduction and offset organization. All carbon emissions caused by our business operations - including shipping and receiving, travel, electricity and employee commuting, are offset. We are proud of our commitment, but also consider it our obligation. In addition to being carbon neutral, JJ Buckley also uses environmentally friendly packaging Styrofoam. Fagerdala World Foams, based in Stockholm, Sweden, has developed Styrofoam called EnviroFoam made from 100% recycled Polystyrene that reduces the carbon footprint every step of the way. The new foam is extremely lightweight, keeping fuel costs and emissions low and it is easily recyclable after use, creating a closed loop recycling scenario. It retains all of the advantages of standard Styrofoam, such as temperature control and breakage protection, while being dramatically better for the environment. Since 2000, JJ Buckley has hosted an annual fundraiser, supporting non-profit Diabetes related organizations, where we have raised nearly half a million dollars. In addition, we support our local schools and a number of other local charities.
Innovation
To succeed in today’s retail world of fine and rare wine, it is essential to continually innovate and improve. Yes, we take our wine selection and customer service very seriously, but we also know that in order to operate on much smaller margins than our competition, we must continue to operate as efficiently as possible.
A Leader in Technology
JJ Buckley leverages technology in all aspects of our operations: wine procurement, supply chain management, sales, customer service and fulfillment. Our proprietary technologies allow us to keep wine prices low while offering our customers an unparalleled level of service. Our real-time inventory system provides accurate inventory information on all 6,000+ wines in stock. Our salespeople can access this information from any computer or Smartphone worldwide – our customers can login to www.jjbuckley.com and know they are seeing up to date information. When you order a product, you can be confident we have it in stock. Plus, you can get RSS feeds of all our popular product categories and newly stocked items so you can get the jump on the latest hot wines. Not only do we provide real-time inventory, but our website tells you when you can expect your order to ship. Order by 3:00 p.m. PST and orders of in stock items ship the same day! All Futures/Pre-Arrival items have accurate expected shipping dates listed so you know before you order when you will get your wine. Plus, you can check the status of all your futures (wine purchased in advance of its availability such as is common with Bordeaux future releases) orders anytime at www.jjbuckley.com.
Lowest Cost and Fastest Shipping Methods
Our systems get you wine faster than anyone in the industry. Orders placed by 3:00 p.m. ship the same day. Customers in the western states get overnight delivery for a price cheaper than ground service from our competitors. Anyone nationwide can get their orders overnight and we offer some of the cheapest ground shipping rates of any wine retailer. Plus, condiser storing your wine with us and have it shippped only when you have amassed enough quantity to qualify for a bulk rate shipping discount. The options are all yours!
Online Wine Videos
Have you watched any of our hundreds of online videos? Check out http://www.jjbuckley.com/Video-Wine-Reviews/c~0~s~84. We regularly record informative videos about the wines we sell – we can’t pour you a glass through the Internet (yet!), but this is the next best thing. Our wine experts take you through each product, from the packaging through the finish.
24/7 Customer Service – Yes! By phone, too!
Have a question about an order or a product we sell? Call us anytime – 24/7. Our friendly customer service representatives are available to take your call 365 days per year. Prefer email? Send us a question and we will get back to you quickly – usually same day!
Online Order Management from your computer
JJ Buckley offers full order management online. Simply login at www.jjbuckley.com/myaccount and you can see your entire current and prior order history. Track your futures purchases, review your prior orders, and manage wines you have stored with us. It is easy and available anytime from any computer. For payments, we offer more choices than anyone. Pay via Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Or, we accept wire transfers and electronic checks. Since 2009, we have accepted PayPal and will soon be integrating Google Checkout. In 2009, JJ Buckley became the first online wine retailer to offer payment not only by PayPal but via PaySecure for Internet Pin Debit, allowing customers to pay with their debit card and PIN right at the merchant checkout, adding an extra layer of security and convenience to their online transaction.
Worldwide Presence
JJ Buckley has expanded its markets overseas with a strong presence in Asia and a growing presence in Europe.
Staff Biographies
Company Founders
Michael Stajer, CEO WineCommune, President, JJ Buckley, Co-Founder
Michael Stajer, began his entry into the wine world in the late ‘90s working his way through law school. As the manager and wine buyer for a high end Berkeley, California restaurant, he experienced the frustration of buying and acquiring fine wines. Never a man to sit around and complain, Michael set to work on the creation of a wine auction website that would connect wine buyers to wine sellers - WineCommune.com in 1999. Michael graduated Magna cum Laude at Hastings Law School but left the legal world to focus on WineCommune. Accolades for Michael include Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist, the Inc. 500 list, and others. Michael and partner, Shaun Bishop, began JJ Buckley as the retail arm of WineCommune in 2006. As CEO, Michael is responsible for the technology behind JJ Buckley and the WineCommune entities and the daily operations of the company. Michael is also a pilot and a Board Member of San Francisco Goodwill.
Shaun Bishop, CEO JJ Buckley, President WineCommune, Co-Founder
Shaun Bishop grew up in the south of Sweden where his father introduced him to the love of wine. Shaun and his family immigrated to the United States in 1985 and his father began a career in wine sales and distribution, sealing Shaun’s fate of wine in the family. Shaun began his first wine collection after college while living in the city and working on the Pacific Stock Exchange where he was a partner at a stock options trading firm. He held numerous positions with the Exchange including serving as Chair of the Options Allocations Committee and Vice-Chair of the Options Listing Committee. Shaun helped build [Cole-Roesler Trading] into the largest privately held options trading firm on the Pacific Coast. The firm was sold in 2002 to a Chicago-based firm. Shaun became co-partner with Michael Stajer and investor in WineCommune in the summer of 1999 but signed on permanently in 2004 when he left the financial markets for the wine markets. Together with Michael, Shaun is responsible for the creation of WineZap and JJ Buckley, where he serves as CEO and Chief Wine Buyer. Together with Michael, Shaun has helped secure many recognitions including Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in 2008 and The #1 Fastest Growing Bay Area Business in 2007 by the San Francisco Business Times. Shaun is known for his quick thinking and fast decision making. It is Shaun’s wine knowledge that sustains the wine business that is JJ Buckley. In his spare time, Shaun enjoys traveling, sports, and spending time with his wife, Julie, and three children.
Like many in the industry, David experienced his wine Epiphany while traveling through Europe - his was a fine Riesling Spatlese, where the Mosel meets the Rhine, 25 years ago. When he returned home he got a job as a waiter, and six months later was exclusively working the floor assisting guests with their wine selections. A year later he was the beverage manager and the wine list had gone from five pages to over 100. Pursuing the marriage of food and wine, he moved to the center of Philadelphia to work at the Four Seasons Hotel. With the food part down, next was selling wine as a broker for Margolis Wine and Spirits. Pennsylvania is a controlled state monopoly, so to really understand the wine side, David packed his bags and headed to San Diego. Seeking the best, David went to the WineSellar & Brasserie, with a wine shop on the first floor and restaurant upstairs. Every Saturday and Sunday he conducted wine tastings to showcase the breadth and depth of the Grand Award (Wine Spectator) wine list.
Now a Wine Buyer for JJ Buckley, David focuses on what will make his customers happy, not on only what he likes. David says, “There is beauty in a well made wine that speaks of its place and history, and a joy in matching it with someone who appreciates those charms.”
Paige first experienced the world of wine as a child in Virginia stomping grapes in a plastic kiddie pool for her grandfather’s home winemaking “experiments”. Always fascinated by this process, her palate thankfully evolved, leading her to explore the world of Bordeaux and California cabernet in her early 20s. After careers in retail, social work and early childhood education, she took a more formal step into the wine trade, spending the last 10 years with a prominent San Francisco retailer. Paige caught the Spanish wine bug on an importer trip, after which she became the Spanish wine buyer. She further expanded her position there by building out a successful eCommerce operation and marketing program. Paige is fascinated by the intersection of wine and technology and is looking forward to bringing our customers a more engaging online experience. When she’s not geeking out on the latest social media app, you might find her traveling to Australia or New Zealand with her partner Chuck Hayward. Follow her on Twitter @JJBuckleyWines.
Chuck moved to California from Louisiana in 1986 to pursue his passion for wine after previous jobs as a librarian, cook, political consultant, government bureaucrat, disc jockey and music promoter. Job stability has ensued ever since the day he walked into a San Francisco wine store before Christmas and was hired as temporary holiday help. After 23 years at legendary wine retailer The Jug Shop, he has just joined JJ Buckley as a wine buyer and fine wine specialist. Born in Michigan and growing up in Philadelphia, Chuck got his college degree in political science from Claremont Men's College outside of Los Angeles and he later moved to Louisiana where he studied further at LSU.
During his time at The Jug Shop, he was responsible for wine buying, consumer and staff training and education as well as daily operations. The store gained international recognition for their wine program during his tenure there and he has become one of the leading experts on Australian and New Zealand wines in the country. In his new job at JJ Buckley, Chuck will continue his specialization in wines from Down Under and while assisting the wine department in education and procurement
Chuck is an avid traveler famous for his "Paris for the Weekend" trips as well as his frequent jaunts to the Southern hemisphere. Soccer is his favorite sport and he actively follows the Earthquakes and the US national team except when he's watching the Grand Final for Aussie Rules Football. You'll frequently see Chuck and his girlfriend Paige out and about the bars and restaurants of San Francisco as he looks for the perfect negroni. Check out Chuck’s blog and receive the latest special offers for Down Under wines by clicking here.
A.G. manages JJ Buckley's day-to-day operations, including customer service and the warehouse and shipping departments. Of course, A.G. often finds himself wearing a lot of hats, with a hand in most of what happens at JJ Buckley. A.G. is a veteran of JJ Buckley, and one of the first employees. Since our days in an office loft in Emeryville, A.G. has been instrumental in keeping all systems going and has built a reputation as the “go-to”. His hard working nature, can-do attitude and great rapport with people has made him a significant player and asset to the company. Before JJ Buckley, A.G. worked within a variety of industries, including retail, mortgage/financial, computer networking, and as a State of California employee at the Department of Motor Vehicles for many years. It was not until joining JJ Buckley (WineCommune) in 2004, that his love and passion for the wine industry began. He currently enjoys German Rieslings and Right Bank Bordeaux. In his spare time, if A.G. is not improving his handicap on the golf course or riding his motorcycle through the Bay Area backroads, you will likely find him spending time with his wife and seven year old son.
Chris Nielsen’s first real introduction to wine happened while he was in college at Tulane University in New Orleans. He needed a job and saw that a well known retailer in the Uptown area was hiring. Not having much wine knowledge, he got a job as a stock clerk, and quickly acquired an appreciation for good wine. After taking some courses, he soon found himself promoted to salesman, a capacity in which stayed all through college. After graduation, he had a brief stint in the world of advertising and retail. However, he continued to maintain a strong personal interest in wine. Almost a decade later, he was living in the Bay Area and looking for a new challenge. He found it at JJ Buckley, where he was hired in 2006. As the manager of the Consignment Department, Chris takes pride in aquiring, safeguarding and placing your fine wines in the hands of others who will enjoy them. Chris is also an avid follower of the ‘beautiful game’ (Go Gunners!) and loves the outdoors.
Geoff began his career in the wine industry at a fine wine store in New Jersey where he worked for three years. He then reloacted to the Bay Area to work for JJ Buckley. Geoffrey is now an avid wine collector with an extensive collection focused in German wines, but he also has a strong passion for the Rhône Valley and Italy. When he is not at home exploring a bottle of wine, he is off venturing through the many scenic areas that Northern California has to offer, or pursuing an exceptional flavor experience from single origin espresso.
Chris stumbled into the world of wine as a student at the University of San Francisco. A study-abroad stint in Dublin and various other cultural exploits around Western Europe sparked an appreciation for Guinness and Belgian ales. He returned home to the Bay Area in search of a part-time job to help pay the bills—but luckily found one that also played into his newfound interest at one of San Francisco’s most respected wine, beer and spirits shops. This experience quickly uncovered a passion for wine and earned him a role in warehouse inventory at a wine e-retailer and collector-services firm. Two rapid-fire promotions later, he was leading cellar acquisitions, purchasing fine and rare wines from private collectors. A subsequent position in marketing at an interactive wine website ultimately led Chris to JJ Buckley, where he now spends his days helping wine enthusiasts drink ridiculously well. Chris has also pursued industry education, earning the Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits with distinction from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) diploma from the Society of Wine Educators. In his spare time, Chris writes long-winded motivational emails to his coed softball team, eats far too many seventeen-dollar hamburgers, catches homerun balls barehanded at Giants games, and rips off popular local ales with his own homebrews.
Andy Frieden's passion for wine began while working for the restaurant firm Il Fornaio based in San Francisco. After a ten year career in finance and a trip to Italy visiting his cousin’s olive oil farm located next to Ornellaia on the Tuscan Coast, Andy's passion peaked and he decided to go for it and make a career change. Upon his return from Europe, Andy immediately moved to Napa Valley and began a year working for the peerless winery, Chateau Montelena. Andy brings a wealth of knowledge to JJ Buckley with 15 years retail and wholesale distribution experience working in the San Francisco Bay Area. Andy taught the first wine course on the internet in 1997 for Virtual Vineyards, and brings this educational interest to his approach of selling wine. His passion is focused on Burgundy's chameleon of flavors, a new love of the Left Bank of Bordeaux and its loamy clay soil profile, but the Bay Area's backyard wine regions of Napa and Sonoma are still dear to his heart. In his spare time, Andy enjoys skiing and competitive tennis and practicing his culinary skills. Andy is WSET Certified - Level 3 Advanced.
Cory's first ‘wine moment’ happened years ago at a small French restaurant in Oakland, California. He doesn't remember the wine, but he remembers being floored that a wine could smell like pepper! He went on to explore Napa and Sonoma counties, marveling at the beauty of the vineyards and eating lunch among the vines and the orchards. Cory has been at JJ Buckley since 2007, assists at tasting events for a small California winery, and has continued his wine education through courses and industry tastings. He especially enjoys Rhône varietals (red and white), and just about any small production or single vineyard wines. In his spare time he plays softball, checks out new restaurants, and travels the world (or the back roads of California). Cory logs his wine adventures on Twitter (twitter.com/Cory_JJBuckley) and lives in Oakland with his wife and two cats.
Alex Lallos was born and raised in Carmel Valley, California, a region more known for car shows and golf courses than its small but exciting wineries. Upon graduating from UC Santa Barbara Alex had already traveled Europe extensively, where he immediately took note of the critical role wine played in daily life. With his historically trained eye and the desire to learn more, Alex fully immersed himself in the world of wine beginning at a Carmel Valley tasting room and from there into the cellar where he began to learn the art of winemaking from an energetic and exuberant winemaker. At the same time, Alex was learning more and more about the wines of the world from a highly esteemed local chef and a passionate wine shop owner, both of whom were armed with an artilery of knowledge (and old Boreaux) and the excitement of teaching young, dedicated individuals. Alex has taken the time to travel to Europe on multiple occasions where he has visited many wine growing regions with the intention of refining his palate and learning first hand, the differences between regions. Alex joined JJ Buckley in the Spring of 2007 where he is the Senior Fine Wine Specialist. Alex's favorite wines hail from Burgundy, the Rhone, Bordeaux, and Germany. Alex also likes kittens.
John developed his passion for wine while working at a local market. Educating himself by gradually tasting through the store’s inventory, John worked his way up to become the wine buyer for the store. This coincided with his time at UC Davis, where John was pursuing a degree in Political Science, while at the same time immersing himself in as many classes as possible at the school’s renown Department of Viticulture and Enology. After working briefly as an advocate for patient’s rights, John followed his dream of making it in the wine industry when he gained employment with a Napa retailer. Wanting to be closer to his family in Oakland, John joined the team at JJ Buckley soon thereafter and has been a productive member of both the Consignment and Sales Department of our operation for the past two years. In his free time, John is an avid cyclist throwing himself with reckless abandon up and down the scenic hills of the Bay Area.
Alex is a third-generation wine businessman and has been around wine his whole life. Trips to Tuscany and Burgundy cemented Alex's love of fine wines. Following graduation from Cornell University, Alex spent the 1996 harvest working at Chateau Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux. Since then, Alex has worked in a variety of positions throughout the wine industry, continuing to develop his palate through travel to many of the world's great wine regions. Alex resides in San Francisco with his wife and daughter where he loves to cook and explore food and wine pairings. When not immersed in wine, Alex snowboards, plays ultimate Frisbee and enjoys live music.
John’s interest in wine began while working as a waiter in high school. He started out working in casual dining and gradually moved up to fine dining establishments while starting college. During his time in the restaurant business he was fortunate enough to be exposed to and try many of the great wines of the World. The real epiphany happened on his first trip to the Napa Valley; when he decided to pursue a career in the wine business. Shortly after that he transferred to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo where he received a bachelor’s degree in Wine & Viticulture. After graduating, John worked as a Sommelier in Palo Alto and has worked harvests at both Linne Calodo Cellars in Paso Robles and Colgin Cellars in Saint Helena. John’s favorite wines tend to come from Burgundy, the Rhone, and from some of California’s finest producers. When not at work you can usually find John dining on the peninsula, traveling on the weekends, or spending time outdoors golfing and hiking.
Other Key Personnel
Leilani Angell, Consignment Department
Sambat Cheam, Warehouse
Chhay Chhy, Supervisor
Sam Enos, Product Manager
Trache Gardner, Bookkeeper
Alex Hernandez, Warehouse
Kim Jamar, Senior Bookkeeper
Jose Macias, Supervisor
David Ryan, Customer Service
What our customers have to say: "Hi, Just a quick note to let you know my wines have arrived safe and sound. Thanks for the great service.
" - Chris Smith of PORTLAND, OREGON . More...
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