Louis Shube and Ida Baer, both of Russia, met and wed in the United States in the early 1900s. First settling in Marlborough, the Shubes eventually moved to Lynn for factory work. Their shared goal was to save enough money for a business of their own.
“They were looking at two existing markets to purchase. One was in Winthrop, and one was in Marblehead,” said grandson George Shube, recalling the story told to him by his mother, Sylvia Shube.
As luck would have it, Louis and Ida chose to set up shop in Marblehead. The original market opened in the late 1920s at 12 Commercial St. A few years later, the Shubes moved their market across the street to 45 Atlantic Ave., the space now occupied by CVS.
In 1948, Bill Shube, the eldest of Louie and Ida’s four children, made his foray into retail by purchasing a liquor license and renting space from his parents in the building at 45 Atlantic Ave.
“It was 10 feet wide and probably no more than 75 feet deep,” George said of his dad’s 500-square-foot package store that was connected to Shube’s Market.
The market, originally owned by Louis and Ida, and then run by George’s aunt and uncle, “was a totally separate business,” George said. “That closed about 30 years ago.”
“Shubie’s, the current version, is the descendant of that liquor store,” he added.
Over the next 20 years, Bill Shube built a reputation as one of the first purveyors of the world’s finest wines, a tradition synonymous with the Shubie’s brand today. When Bill’s wife, Sylvia, stepped in after his death in 1969, her involvement, according to George, was “involuntary.” After graduating from Bowdoin College, Sylvia asked her son George whether he might help in the store, “just for a year or two,” George recalled with a smile.
In 1976, George and his wife, Carol, officially took the reigns, leading Shubie’s through three revolutionary expansions during the next several decades. It was Carol, according to George, who brought specialty items, a commercial kitchen, pastries, and a vision that led to the evolution of the current 10,000-square-foot space at 16 Atlantic Ave.
George and Carol’s son, Doug, recalls his introduction to Shubie’s at the West Marine building. His memories include making signs for wines and sitting by the register.
“My dad would tell me to press the green buttons to open the registers,” he said.
Doug’s involvement grew steadily and in 2007, during the economic downturn, his parents needed help. 16 years later, Doug is a constant presence and store manager.
Today, Shubie’s is the essence of a family affair — home to 60 employees and a culinary staff with more than 40 years of experience, including Executive Chef Kate Hammond (former Grapevine chef and owner) and Sous Chef Matt Consalvo. Shubie’s is known as the community hotspot for wine tastings, cooking classes, catering, gift-buying, holiday celebrations, and mostly, familiar faces. Customer service and impeccable quality continues to drive this generation of Shubes.
George, Carol, and Doug look back at the years with great modesty about the impact their family has made on the Marblehead community.
“I love interacting with the customers,” George said. “They are our family.”
If only Louis, Ida, Bill, and Sylvia could see the Shube legacy they left behind.
Shubie’s will be offering a sale Friday through Sunday, wine tastings on the next three Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m., and reindeer rides on Sunday during Marblehead’s Christmas Walk.
Leslie Martini is a freelance writer and children’s book author. Though she and her family have lived in Marblehead for more than 26 years, Leslie is still discovering countless untold stories. If you’d like to share your story, please contact leslie@marbleheadweeklynews.com.