About John Walker & Company

The Making Of A San Francisco Tradition

Founded in 1933 and located in the heart of San Francisco's financial district, John Walker & Company is part of San Francisco's heritage and tradition. For nearly seventy years, our wine and spirits store had been regarded as the premier shop to purchase hard to find wines and spirits of the highest quality. The John Walker & Company image and reputation was built upon offering customers the highest quality products with personalized, knowledgeable service and today, that custom continues. A trusted and well-respected company, customers continue to come back to John Walker & Company year after year, event after event.

Three Gentlemen And The Start Of A New Era

In early December 1933, when Prohibition was repealed, a company named Waldorf Liquors was opened by three gentlemen: John Walker, Fred Foster and Edward Timothy Hogan. The name, Waldorf, taken from the New York hotel, The Waldorf Astoria, represented style, class, and elegance. Did we forget to mention 'bootlegging'? Well, where do you think all the alcohol came from so quickly? Yes we were some bad boys. Considering we were supplying speakeasies that were frequented by city and government officials and the idea of Prohibition was considered archaic at the time (similar to the shipping restrictions now imposed by some states), we were definitely in the majority. There we mentioned it. In the early forties, Fred Foster left and opened his own store in San Francisco, John Walker retired in the early fifties. That left Tim Hogan, John Hogan and Charles Dilling, John Walker's nephew.

John Walker Offers Futures Of Bordeau:
A Company Ahead Of Its Time

In the late fifties, we were the first to offer futures of Bordeaux wines and at the time, the public thought it was a big risk. It was a gamble, but it paid off handsomely. Our offerings would be in the Wall Street Journal semi-annually through the early eighties, when the costs no longer warranted the use of the newspaper. By then, word of mouth of connoisseurs spread the word. The storefront was located on Montgomery Street for forty-seven years, in the heart of the financial district. Due to the demolition of the building we occupied and in the name of progress, we moved to our present location, 175 Sutter Street.

John Walker Vs. Johnnie Walker

In 1935, the name was changed from Waldorf Liquors to its current name John Walker & Company Wines & Spirits. Johnnie Walker & Sons challenged the name, believing they were too similar. However, the courts didn't agree and felt since there was an owner named John Walker, the name could be used. We established ourselves as a purveyor of fine wines and liquors to San Franciscans and neighboring communities around the Bay area.This is due to our unique services and selection. Over the years, our reputation has catapulted our wine store into one of the premier wine and liquor stores on the West Coast. Today, the third generation of Hogans, Michael and Edward, along with a fine staff, continue our tradition of over sixty-nine years of experience and service. As your wine merchant, we stress the importance of quality, proper handling and integrity.