Hidden Gems: Meet Sebastian Garbsch of Blue Goat Wine & Provisions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sebastian Garbsch.  

Hi Sebastian, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I was born and raised in Traverse City and love living here. I realized that in order to thrive in a small town, I had to be willing to take risks, and started my first business at the age of 18. I graduated from Ferris State University with a bachelor’s in business and started my second business when I was 24. I fell in love with the small-town markets in Europe when visiting with my father, who was from Germany. When the opportunity to bring Blue Goat back to life arose, I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it would be a great way to learn new things and offer our community a unique experience. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s definitely not been a smooth ride. In the beginning, we didn’t have a lot of resources and had to bootstrap our way through. Initially, there were two other partners, and this was also, in many ways challenging. Next, we dealt with Covid and also the fact that I still run another business that requires a lot of time. Lastly, my wife and I started a family, and while this is such an amazing journey, it is a lot to juggle. We couldn’t have done it without our wonderful staff and the support of our amazing community. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We like to say that Blue Goat is your friendly, approachable local wine and provisions store. We have items from both our local community, as well as from around the world. Between wine, beer, mead, spirits, and other beverages, plus local gifts, snacks, charcuterie, and other specialty items, we have fun providing our customers with a delightful experience. 

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
There are things that are constantly evolving, such as the popularity of a specific type of beverage (i.e., tequila), and then there are things that may be more steadily moving in one direction, such as a move toward more non-alcoholic options, as well as consumers looking for more transparency on how we are being good stewards of our planet. We are seeing more organic and sustainable products, for example. Also, how we interact with customers is always evolving. We are rolling out a texting service, along with saved payment options to allow easier ordering, and more customers love the option of delivery and additional convenience. Things are always evolving; it will also be interesting to see how things such as AI could impact us, even as a small retail store! 

Contact Info:

• Website: bluegoattc.com
• Instagram: tcbg1974
• Facebook: facebook.com/bluegoattc

Image Credits
Meg Bowen