Jerry CooperOwner, operator. Hides in the office. Cellar builder, spirits lover, in charge of windows. Occasionally found wandering store dusting. Originally from Los Angeles, Jerry has worked the last 20 years in San Francisco as a restaurant wine director, retail sales manager, and wine consultant. In 2005, Jerry and his Partner Chris Von Laufen opened Swirl on Castro, and he has been having the time of his life since. Jerry sits on the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Panel, and is a judge at The San Francisco International Wine Competition, as well as the San Francisco International Spirits Competition. email Jerry: jerry@swirloncastro.com Current Favorite Wine: Current Favorite Spirit: Photo credit: Chronicle / Jim Merithew |
Max PerrySwirl Manager and wine buyer. Born in Vicenza, Italy, Max was raised around the world as an Army brat until 1993 when his family settled in the desert foothills of Southern California. After completing college in the redwoods of UC Santa Cruz, Max continued up the coast, settling in San Francisco in 2005. A huge fan of the films of Almodovar and Miyazaki, Max also enjoys hiking in unspoiled areas of the Bay Area and dabbling in foreign language studies. Last but not least, Max is completely won over by the Bay Area’s cosmopolitan food culture, and spends most evenings indulging this passion with good food and wine. He is schooling himself on wine and spirits, and working towards his CSW, Certified Specialist of Wine. email Max: max@swirloncastro.com Current Favorite Wine: Current Favorite Spirit:
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Casey BowersYoung, tall, super wine geek, including all things Paso Robles. A “relative neophyte” to the world, Casey has had interest and exposure to wine from a very young age, leading him to pursue this passion at Cal Poly, where he majored in Wine and Viticulture, with a special focus in Oenology (wine making). Wine was definitely what his heart yearned for, but he also realized that to make a small fortune in the industry he would need to start with a substantial amount of funding. He came to the city to study microbiology so he could build up that bank account and one day own a vineyard. Casey cut his teeth at Bevmo, where he was able to get experience and mentorship from Ben Bongers and Wilford Wong. Casey has also developed a unending love of spirits, and continues his education here… Current Favorite Wine: Current Favorite Spirit:
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Stanley FrankLocal DJ, actor, artist and slightly tilted philosopher. A bright spot in our day. (And yours) A spirits expert, and fond of Irish Whiskey. Stanley was born and raised in San Diego and has lived in San Francisco for 13 years. For him, life is truly a cabaret; he is a sought-after DJ, performer, bartender and general bon vivant. He studied theater arts with an emphasis on performance at San Francisco State University and also studied at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Stanley prides himself on being multi-faceted, personable, tri-lingual (Spanish and slightly rusty French). A true lover of the fine arts, Stanley is an illustrator, enjoys classical music and foreign films. He is fascinated with the underbellies of societies and tries to live his life in the form a John Waters movie. Stanley’s fortes are cocktail recipes and wine pairings. Check him out on our Swirl TV. Current Favorite Wine: Current Favorite Spirit: |
Jon LagadereWins ‘best personality’ award at Swirl. His congienality is contageous, as is his smile. As a Private Chef and native of Los Angeles, Jon helped his celebrity clientele reach their wellness goals and look fabulous at the same time. In his current role in San Francisco, Jon continues his Private Chef business while promoting food as medicine to maintain a long and healthy life. Visually stunning and chiseled, (lol !) Jon has been an intricate member of the Swirl team, educating and sharing his wine and spirits knowledge. His passion for tequila has helped him makes lots of new friends while sipping his way through the many fabulous restaurants and bars all over town. Jon’s wine bar is a must-stop on Wednesdays. Put it on the calendar. Current Favorite Wine: Current Favorite Spirit: |
Kevin DevineMusician, music historian, our loveable bear. Kevin is our resident beer buyer extraordinaire. A San Francisco native (Sunset born and bred), Kevin is in his penultimate semester at San Francisco State University, currently finishing a Bachelor of Arts degree in music history. A history buff, as well as musician (historical keyboards, tuba), Kevin has also studied at San Francisco City College, the Herman Hesse Kolleg (Horb am Neckar, DE). the Staatlische Hochschule für Musik (Trossingen, DE) and hopes to study further, attempting a Master of Music degree. Likes: Spanish red wines, the Real Housewives’ of New Jerseys’ husbands, smush-face dogs, indoor sports, bourbon. Dislikes: California chardonnays (sorry!), The Real Housewives of New Jersey, raccoons, Ikea, Belgian sour ales (sorry again!), litterbugs Current Favorite Wine: Current Favorite Spirit: |
