Beverage Distributors history

Upon graduating from the University of Denver in 1935, Sam Rudd moved to Wichita, Kansas.

Blue Ridge Beverage was founded in 1938 as a beer distributor.

The name of the company was changed to Standard Liquor Corporation (SLC) and in the 1950’s, SLC opened branch facilities in Lawrence and Great Bend.

The Company has been under the direct ownership of the Archer family since 1959, when James M. Archer, Jr. and his wife, Regine, moved their family to the Roanoke Valley.

In 1960, the first Milford, Delaware Branch was opened.

In 1961, the Company entered the wine business by acquiring the distribution rights of an Alexandria, Virginia distributor that was exiting the Roanoke Valley market.

In 1965, Leslie Rudd (Sam and Elenore’s son), who had grown up in the business, joined SLC as a sales representative following his time as a student at Wichita State University.

In 1969, tobacco and retailing giant Philip Morris acquired Miller Brewing Company, and, with its new parent’s sales and marketing expertise, Miller exploded in size and became the United States’s second largest brewer.

Throughout the 1970’s, Blue Ridge Beverage’s growth mirrored the fortunes of Miller Brewing, and during this period Miller cited Blue Ridge Beverage as one of its most effective distributors, winning the prestigious Miller Masters Award on several occasions.

Through foresight and careful monitoring of changes in the business, Leslie positioned the company to become a statewide wholesaler when brand franchising, a concept he was instrumental in implementing, replaced open wholesaling in Kansas in 1979.

In recognition of the company’s performance under his direction, Jack was recognized in 1984 by Time Magazine with the “Distinguished Beverage Wholesaler Award”.

In 1987, Blue Ridge Beverage nearly doubled its wine business by acquiring a large competitor headquartered in the Roanoke Valley.

In 1988, Cavalier Beverage purchased the Miller distributorship in Harrisonburg, Virginia, which was renamed Shenandoah Beverage Company and was managed along with the Charlottesville operation as one company.

In 1997, Cavalier and Shenandoah were merged into Blue Ridge Beverage.

Also in 1998, Blue Ridge Beverage acquired the Miller Brewing distribution rights of JRB Corporation.

In 2001, the Company combined the Charlottesville and Harrisonburg operations into a new facility in Waynesboro, Virginia.

In 2003, Blue Ridge Beverage acquired Dod Distributing Co., Inc.

In 2005, Red Bull North America appointed Blue Ridge Beverage as its distributor of Red Bull Energy Drink in 33 counties and 13 cities of the Company’s territory.

The Company merged Dod’s operation into the Waynesboro facility, and in 2006 the Waynesboro Division won the prestigious President’s Award, given annually to the top twenty Coors distributors nationally.

In 2009, Blue Ridge Beverage acquired the beer business of Virginia Distributing Company in Lynchburg and Roanoke.

The Lynchburg Division earned the nation’s top spot among more than 600 distributorships for 2013.

In 2015, Darrell Swank was named President of Standard Beverage and has worked together with the entire SBC leadership team (including Chief Operating Officer Ryan Thurlow and Chief Financial Officer Angie Wilhelm) to maintain the company’s standing as the premier distributor in Kansas.