History

The Magnolia Wine Company is a third generation business run by the Faber Family. The doors opened in the 1930s by the family patriarch, Israel “Izzy” Faber. Along with his three sons, Izzy ran a grocery store which sold liquor too. The original store was located in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood on the corner of Magnolia and Dudley streets, and operated under the name Magnolia Market.

After 40 years, Magnolia Market closed in Roxbury. Then in the mid-nineteen seventies, Izzy’s son, Herb, bought the old McHugh’s Liquors in Watertown.

For the next 20+ years Herb Faber ran McHugh’s liquors, a one stop package store serving Watertown and the surrounding communities.

In the mid-eighties, Jay Faber (Herb’s son) joined the family business and began shifting the product mix to be more wine-forward.

As the new millennium got under way, Jay led the store’s continued evolution. In 2007 he undertook a major remodeling of the building and changed the business name from “McHugh’s” to “The Magnolia Wine Company” as a tribute to his father Herb and grandfather Izzy.

Today, Jay continues to maintain the Faber family legacy, operating a premium package store filled with community spirit. Many of today’s customers have been coming to The Magnolia Wine Company for over a decade. On each visit, customers enjoy a neighborhood store where they can purchase fine wines, first rate spirits, and high quality beer and ales.

McHughs Liquors circa 1960 (above)

Herb Faber with Bruins legend and Moosehead Beer ambassador, Phil Esposito (left)

Meet the team

  • Jay Faber

    Owner

    Longtime owner and everyone’s favorite wine guy. Firm believer in the enjoyment of wine without too much hype (simple pleasure of wine enjoyed with food and friends). Forever searching for undervalued and honest wine values from undiscovered regions. Average golfer and bad guitar player.

  • Brian Ghallager

    General Manager

    Brian, our full time manager and whiskey/beer buyer, offers our customers a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the spirits side of the business. He’s also our resident whiskey expert, conducting most of our scotch and bourbon tastings. Tracking down hard-to-find bottles is one of Brian’s specialties.

  • Matthew Wright

    Matthew Wright

    Assistant Manager

    As an employee at Magnolia for almost 20 years, Matt is well-versed in European wines, and is always happy to guide customers to his latest favorites. He does a portion of Magnolia’s wine-buying, dealing mostly with boutique distributors. He doubles as a musician, and teaches string instruments at Belmont Hill.

  • Matt Bartley

    Clerk

    Teacher by day, Matt’s speciality is his customer service. He is exceptionally knowledgable about the craft beer industry, and is always enthusiastic to help our customers find their next four-pack. As a major Celtics and Phish fan, Matt loves chatting with customers and making them feel right at home at Magnolia.

  • Tim Leonard

    Clerk

    Lifelong Belmont resident, Tim is an extremely hard worker, who has been with us for almost 10 years. He is a fan of both craft and classic domestic beers, and is always a good resource when searching for new ales and lagers. Tim loves fantasy football and Boston sports, as well as R&B and soul music.

  • Max Faber

    Clerk

    Latest member of the Magnolia family (and son of owner, Jay), Max brings a youthful enthusiasm to the business. As an alumnus of UMass Amherst with a degree in Communication, Max handles our marketing and social media. He loves Boston sports, traveling, craft beer and bourbon, and is an avid golfer.