PLATTSBURGH DISTRIBUTING

ABOUT PLATTSBURGH DISTRIBUTING

An Idea Becomes Reality


Plattsburgh Distributing was founded on July 1, 1945, when Ralph Fisher purchased the business
from Roy Filion. At the time, the company offered just one brand of beer -- Genesee.  Prior to the
purchase, Mr. Fisher had worked for a number of years for Sears Roebuck & Co. in the Boston, MA
area.  He began as a clerk for Sears, and advanced to district sales manager for the company.

Before World War II, Ralph married Carmen Abbruzzesse.  When World War II broke out Ralph
joined the Army, where he was assigned to the Army Air Corps. With his background in merchandising,
Mr. Fisher was assigned to manage a supply base in Dakar, western Africa.  He was later transferred to
Casablanca, Morocco.  During his time in the service, Ralph rose to the rank of Captain.

At the end of the war, Mr. Fisher decided that he wanted to own his own business.  While he and wife
Carmen were visiting friends in Watertown, NY, they were informed that a beer distributorship was for
sale in Plattsburgh.  Mr. Fisher cashed in his Sears stock and bought the beer distributorship.  Since 
Ralph was not scheduled to leave the Army for some time, he asked an Army friend, Joseph Howley of 
Scranton, PA to become a partner, and travel to Plattsburgh to learn about the beer distribution business.
Mr. Howley agreed.


  

Hard Work And Dedication Bring Great Success


Ralph Fisher arrived in Plattsburgh in late June 1945, and started to work with his friend and partner,
Joe Howley.  Ralph and Joe would start loading their one truck at 6 a.m. with the orders of Genesee to
be delivered that day. One of them would throw the cases of heavy bottles packed in wooden cases up
to the other standing in the delivery truck.  Joe then left with the truck and delivered the beer. Ralph would
go home to shower and put on a suit and tie -- to go out on sales calls for the day. Ralph wrote the orders
by hand and dropped them off at the warehouse.  His wife Carmen did all the paperwork in the office. On
Saturdays, Ralph ordered beer from the breweries after his sales calls. He worked on accounting tasks on
Sundays, when the distributorship was closed.

In order to expand the company's product line, Plattsburgh Distributing agreed to carry Carling Red Cap
Ale and their popular beer, Black Label.  The Genesee Brewing owners were not pleased, and told Ralph 
that they would withdraw the Genesee product line from Plattsburgh Distributing.  After Mr. Fisher announced
he would leave the Genesee product he had in storage out on the street for the company to retrieve, the 
Genesee owners relented, and agreed to continue supplying Plattsburgh Distributing with their product. 
     
In the early 1950's, the company acquired the Pabst brand, which sold at a "premium" or higher price than
Genesee or Black Label.  At that time there were four premium or national brands -- Budweiser, Schlitz,
Pabst and Miller.

Ralph Fisher won the right to distribute Budweiser beer in 1954, after the Peru Bottling Works went out
of business. In order to secure the Budweiser brand, Plattsburgh Distributing agreed to give up the Pabst
brand.

In 1954 Mr. Fisher relocated the business to the former Alpine Tavern building on Route 22. But the Air
Force announced it was purchasing the land for the Plattsburgh Air Base. The building was moved off
of what is now the flight line to its current location on Sharron Avenue.
 

Expansion;  A New Generation;  A Bright Future


John (Jack) Fisher became president and owner of Plattsburgh Distributing following the death of his
father, Ralph in 1976.  At that time, John Fisher had completed his four-year college degree, and was
working for his MBA, but came home to Plattsburgh to take over the reins of the company.

John purchased a local distributor, Lapan Brothers, which expanded Plattsburgh Distributing's offerings
to include Labatts, Colt 45, Pabst and Canada Dry.  Pabst had become a popular priced beer in the 1960's,
and did not compete with Budweiser as a so-called premium beer.

In 1986 John Fisher applied for the Coors brands when the brewing company indicated it was looking to
expand to the eastern states. Plattsburgh Distributing was one of only three Budweiser distributors offered
the Coors brands in the Northeast.

Today, Plattsburgh Distributing looks forward to further expansion, with a view toward a bright future. 
The company now represents Magic Hat Brewery, a microbrewery based in Burlington, Vermont, and Otter
Creek Brewery, also based in Vermont.  Plattsburgh Distributing recently began to distribute the Yuengling
brands. Yuengling is the oldest brewery in America, established in 1829 as Eagle Brewery.

In 2002, a new office building was constructed and more warehouse space was added to allow Plattsburgh
Distributing to more efficiently provide its high-quality products and services to its many client-customers
well into the future.