PAW PAW, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Paw Paw winery St. Julian is celebrating 100 years of business after establishing itself in 1921.
Originally founded in Windsor, Ontario, the business would later relocate to Paw Paw after prohibition was lifted, according to the official winery history page.
St. Julian President John Braganini spoke with WKZO about the anniversary on Tuesday.
“We haven’t made enough mistakes to go out of business, and we haven’t been smart enough to be more successful,” Braganini joked when asked about the secret to the longevity of the business. “We’ve survived prohibition, the great depression, the great recession, wars, family tragedies, and our customers have continued to support us through all of that.”
Braganini says that the secret is also due in part to the winery employees.
“They are engaged, motivated and creative, and the farm community has always supported us,” Branganini said. “When you add that all up and you add the general working conditions and the general environment for business in Michigan, it all adds up.”
- To listen to the full interview with Braganini, click here.
- To keep up with St. Julian news and events, visit the Facebook page here.
