URBAN CELLARS

What URBAN CELLARS does

Urban Cellars is a privately owned liquor retail chain headquartered in Saskatchewan, Canada, operating four storefronts — three in Saskatoon (Cumberland, Market Mall, Confederation) and one in Regina (Quance) — with a curated assortment of local and imported wine, beer, and spirits. The company's core differentiator is a portfolio of exclusive imported wines sourced through partnerships with producers in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France (including Villa Pozzi, Cantine San Silvestro, Bodegas Isidro Milagro/Cal y Canto, and Bodegas Ayuso) that are not available elsewhere in the province. It supports customers through in-store expertise (with named specialists such as Val for Scotch and a Cigar Vault), curbside pickup, and the Cellar Club email membership for exclusive product drops and tasting event invitations.

In parallel with retail, Urban Cellars runs a dedicated wholesale division supplying hotels, bars, and restaurants with delivery services; this B2B motion is staffed by regional leads (Will in Saskatoon, Jordan in Regina) and runs on a separate wholesale login portal. The company also invests in content marketing through the Wine Talk weekly radio program on 650 CKOM (hosted by principal Randy Wilson), which features winemaker interviews, pairing education, and collaborations with local restaurants and producers. Pricing is standard retail with a weekly 10% Wednesday discount on undiscounted wine stock; no technology platform, e-commerce storefront, or AI capability is disclosed, and the firm operates on a traditional brick-and-mortar model with 16 employees and no external funding.

Name

URBAN CELLARS

Legal name

Urban Cellars

Website

https://urbancellars.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Urban Cellars is a privately owned Saskatchewan liquor retail chain operating four storefronts in Saskatoon and Regina, offering exclusive imported wines, a wholesale division serving hospitality licensees, and a radio-based wine education program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Liquor Store

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Liquor Stores (General Off-Premise) (CRANAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF)

Keywords

• Retail liquor store
• Wine beer spirits
• Wholesale beverage distribution
• Exclusive wine imports
• Curbside liquor pickup

Headquarters

HQ city

Saskatoon

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales - Consumer: Physical storefront sales of wine, beer, and spirits to individual consumers. Includes exclusive products not available elsewhere. Curbside pickup option available.
2. Wholesale to Licensees: B2B wholesale services to hotels, bars, and restaurants including speedy delivery, good turnaround times, large inventory, and fair prices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Urban Cellars is a privately owned liquor retail chain operating four storefronts in Saskatchewan (three in Saskatoon and one in Regina), selling a wide selection of local and imported wine, beer, and spirits—including exclusive imported wines from Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France not available elsewhere in the province. The company also runs a dedicated wholesale division that delivers liquor to hotels, bars, and restaurants, and supports its retail operations with curbside pickup, the Cellar Club email membership, in-store tasting events, and the Wine Talk educational radio program.

Product overview

Urban Cellars is a liquor retail chain operating four locations in Saskatchewan (Saskatoon and Regina). The core offering consists of retail wine, beer, and spirits sales supplemented by an exclusive products line featuring wines from Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, and other regions not available elsewhere. The company also operates a wholesale division serving hotels, bars, and restaurants, and provides membership through The Cellar Club email program. Educational content is delivered via the Wine Talk radio show and in-store tasting events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wine, Beer & Spirits Retail Retail sale of local and imported wine, beer, and spirits through four Saskatchewan storefronts, with staff expertise to help customers select pairings for any occasion.
• Exclusive Imported Wine Collection Curated selection of wines from regions including Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France that are exclusive to Urban Cellars within Saskatchewan, featuring named producers such as Villa Pozzi, Cantine San Silvestro, Bodegas Isidro Milagro (Cal y Canto), Bodegas Ayuso, Masseria Tagaro, Bodegas Nodus, and Bixio.
• Wholesale Liquor Services for Licensees B2B wholesale liquor supply service for Saskatchewan hotels, bars, and restaurants, offering speedy delivery, good turnaround times, large inventory depth, and fair pricing.
• The Cellar Club Email Membership Free email membership program that delivers exclusive wines and featured product specials directly to subscribers.
• Curbside Pickup Order-by-phone pickup service at any of the four Urban Cellars locations, enabling customers to collect prepaid liquor orders without entering the store.
• Wine Education (Wine Talk Program) Wine education program combining the Wine Talk weekly radio program on 650 CKOM with online articles and in-store expertise to help customers improve wine knowledge, pairing, and hosting techniques.
• Exclusive Tasting Events Hosted in-store tasting events and samplings featuring exclusive and local products such as Smooth 42 craft spirits, with registration through Eventbrite.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 226 Google Reviews

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AIS Wine ImportscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 March 2022Michael Podbere with AIS Wine Imports joins Wine Talk regularly to discuss exclusive Italian wines and value wines. Partnership for bringing exclusive wines to Urban Cellars.
• Chef Takashi ItominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2022Culinary business advisor for Blue Mountain Solutions with 40 years of kitchen experience. Featured on Wine Talk cooking with wine episode.
• Boryski's Butcher BlockminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 December 2021Featured on Wine Talk Christmas Dinners & Wine Pairings episode. Andrew Boryski provides holiday wine pairing tips and cooking tips. Regular Wine Talk guest for food and wine pairing content.
• Mano's Restaurant & Lounge on 8thminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 November 2021Featured on Wine Talk Christmas Cocktails episode. Taso Barlas from Mano's joined to share Christmas Cocktail and party drink recipes. Local restaurant partnership for content collaboration.
• Villa Pozzi Wines (Sicily)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 November 2021Fifth-generation winemaking family from Cremona, Northern Italy. Urban Cellars features exclusive Villa Pozzi wines. Matteo Pozzi is the winemaker. Res non-Verba - Deeds, Not Words is the family motto.
• Bodegas Isidro Milagro / Cal y Canto (Spain)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 November 2021Cal y Canto wines exclusive to Urban Cellars. Bodegas Isidro Milagro is one of top 10 wineries in Spain with three generations of family history. Gerardo featured on Wine Talk to discuss wines.
• San Silvestro (Italy)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 November 2021Cantine San Silvestro located in Novello, Piemonte. Four generations operated by cousins Paolo and Guido Sartirano. Exports manager Massimo Bracco appeared on Wine Talk to discuss exclusive wines.
• Will (Saskatoon Wholesale Division)coreOthersWill manages the Wholesale Division servicing all of Saskatoon. Started at Cumberland location as shipper & receiver, promoted to Lead Supervisor, assistant store manager, now wholesale division lead.
• Jordan (Regina Wholesale Division)coreOthersJordan manages the Wholesale Division in Regina, managing one of the largest liquor stores in Saskatchewan with wide selection and inventory for hospitality business needs.
• Sinclair Philip (Sooke Harbour House)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer owner operator and wine director of Sooke Harbour House Hotel and Restaurant (1979-2016). One of Canada's most awarded dining establishments. Frequent Wine Talk guest providing wine expertise, education, and restaurant industry insights.
• 650 CKOM / The Brent Loucks ShowcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio partnership for Wine Talk show. Weekly radio program featuring wine education, winemaker interviews, and exclusive product showcases. Primary content marketing platform.
• Smooth 42 Craft DistilleryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSaskatchewan craft distillery. Urban Cellars stocks the full lineup of Smooth 42 products including Apple Pie Moonshine. Supports local Saskatchewan producers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Wine Rack: A Canadian private wine-focused retail chain operating in Ontario with a curated selection of exclusive wines. Comparable to Urban Cellars in its wine-first positioning and curated, exclusive product strategy.
• Kensington Wine Market: An independent wine specialty retailer in Calgary, Alberta, known for premium curation, exclusive wines, and deep staff expertise. Closely comparable to Urban Cellars in market positioning, customer profile, and curation-led differentiation.
• Legacy Liquor Store: A high-end independent liquor retailer in Vancouver, BC, focused on premium wine, beer, and spirits, with a curated selection and strong brand reputation. Directly comparable to Urban Cellars' premium multi-category positioning.
• Everything Wine: A Canadian privately owned multi-store liquor retailer operating primarily in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, with a strong emphasis on wine selection, exclusive products, and premium positioning — directly comparable to Urban Cellars' retail and exclusive product strategy.
• Willow Park Wines & Spirits: A long-established Calgary wine and spirits retailer with curated selection, exclusive allocations, and B2B wholesale services. Comparable to Urban Cellars in product breadth, exclusive wine strategy, and licensee services.
• Liquor Stores N.A. (The Owner's): The largest private liquor retailer in Western Canada (Alberta), operating multiple banners including Wine & Beyond and Liquor Depot. Directly comparable to Urban Cellars as a multi-store private liquor retailer with broad product selection and B2B licensee services.
• Crossroads Wine + Spirits: A private wine and spirits retailer in Ottawa, Ontario, offering a curated selection with emphasis on exclusive and hard-to-find wines. Comparable to Urban Cellars in wine-led positioning and exclusive product emphasis.

Broad incumbents

• BC Liquor Stores (Liquor Distribution Branch): The government-operated liquor retail network in British Columbia, the largest liquor retailer in the province. Comparable to Urban Cellars as a multi-store liquor retailer operating across a Canadian province, though government-owned and not privately held.
• Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA): The provincial Crown corporation that regulates and operates liquor retail in Saskatchewan, including its own retail store network. Directly comparable to Urban Cellars as a multi-store liquor retailer competing in the same Saskatchewan market, though SLGA is both regulator and competitor.

Regional players

• Co-op Liquor (Saskatchewan): Saskatchewan retail co-operative network operating liquor stores across the province, including locations in Saskatoon and Regina. Comparable to Urban Cellars as a regional liquor retailer competing in the same Saskatchewan market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/urbancellarscumberland
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbancellarscumberland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urban-cellars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about URBAN CELLARS