The Farm and Bottle Shop Brings New Spirit to an Old Red Hook Stand
A one stop shop for locally made adult beverages and farm fresh food of all kinds.
Cooper’s Daughter Spirits, the Columbia County distillery known for its seasonal, small-batch, naturally-flavored whiskeys, vodka, and liqueurs, has expanded to a quaint Red Hook location. The Farm and Bottle Shop officially opened in mid-July on Route 9, in a long-abandoned farm stand, and offers something rare: a store licensed to sell spirits, beer, wine, and cider, along with local farm-sourced foods like meat, cheese, produce, and dry goods all in one place.
“The bottle part of the name is all New York State beer, wine, and cider, on top of our spirits,” said Sophie Newsome, who founded the business with her father, the cooper, Stuart Newsome. Her husband, head distiller Rory Tice, is the third leg of the family operation barstool. “We tasted hundreds of each product to narrow it down to what we think is some of the best in the state. And then the farm part is just amazing local farm products. We’re surrounded by so many talented people, that it wasn't difficult to put together.”
Red Hook Calling
Finding the right location for this second outpost took years. The family had long discussed a more retail-focused venue, and when they came across the dilapidated roadside stand just north of the village of Red Hook, they saw the potential, despite its crumbling condition. “We kind of teasingly called it ‘the birdhouse’ because when we took it over, the only thing living there was a bunch of birds,” Newsome says. “There was no drywall, just rotting wood. We had to replace the roof, pour new concrete floors, and rebuild the interior from the studs out.”
The renovation was spearheaded by Stuart, a skilled woodworker who brought the building back to life by hand. “He did all the work,” Sophie says. “We redesigned the space completely. The only thing that’s left from the old building is the shape and the red-and-white exterior paint.”
The Farm and Bottle Shop is legally able to sell spirits, beer, wine, and cider thanks to Cooper’s Daughter’s New York State farm distillery license—an allowance that’s uncommon aside from a few places statewide. Inside, visitors can shop an impressive selection of regionally made alcohol, carefully chosen by the Newsome team, alongside an evolving inventory of local cheeses, snacks, syrups, pantry staples, and fresh produce from neighboring farms.
Also, while Sophie grew up here, her parents are from England, so they couldn’t resist putting up one shelf of iconic UK staples like biscuits, tea, and spreads (Marmite coming soon).
The opening has already attracted a diverse crowd of visitors, some longtime fans of the distillery, others curious locals who remember the building in its earlier life. “We weren’t sure what to expect,” Sophie says. “But it’s been a great mix. People are stopping by who live nearby, and people who just saw us online or have been following our spirits for a while.”
In addition to the shop itself, the property includes about 16 acres of land. While the family initially considered managing the land themselves, they’ve since partnered with a program that connects property owners with beginning farmers looking for access to land.
New Kids on the Block
Sophie and Tice have envisioned The Farm and Bottle Shop as a place not just to buy spirits, but to discover what the broader Hudson Valley community is creating, from flower farmers to bakers, winemakers to cideries. “It’s all about the connection between what we make, what our neighbors grow, and the people who come through our doors,” Sophie says.
To mark the opening, Cooper’s Daughter will host a public ribbon-cutting with the Red Hook Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, August 28 at 5:30pm. That same weekend, a pop-up collaboration with Mama Bees Flower Farm will offer visitors an opportunity to build their own fresh bouquets on-site. Additional events, including tastings and guest vendor appearances, are planned for the fall, though Newsome said they’re taking their time settling in. “We’re still getting our feet wet and working out a few kinks,” she says.
The new shop isn’t the only expansion the Cooper’s Daughter team has undertaken this year. Sophie and Tice also launched a mobile bar, a refurbished white and gold horse trailer that travels to weddings and events across New York, serving cocktails alongside beer, wine, and cider. “We’ve got the kinks out, and we’re a well-oiled machine now,” says Newsome, laughing as she recalls an early mishap that involved accidentally pouring hot chocolate into a guest’s purse. “It’s better to make mistakes like that at a public event rather than at someone’s wedding.”
Another new addition to the family business is the cooper’s daughter’s daughter, baby Olivia, born almost a year ago. Sophie and Tice admit opening a new business with a newborn didn’t make things easier. “Our baby is 11 months old now,” Newsome says. “We definitely made a few jokes like, what were we thinking, opening a second location and launching a mobile bar in the same year we had a baby? But there’s something that happens—maybe it’s the sleep deprivation—you just dive in and do it.”
Now that the doors are open in Red Hook, Sophie is glad they powered through. “This is about making space for the people who live and work around us,” she says. “We want to offer something that feels useful, grounded, and welcoming.”
