Reg opens his own business

In 1992, Reg identified a business opportunity - to open a beer and wine making supplies store.  The store was called, "Days of Wine and Beer", and it was located in Sherwood, a suburb of Charlottetown, PEI.  This business would end in August, 1999, in bankruptcy.

The store filled a need that was not being served by other businesses on the province, and proved to be very successful.  Reg used his drug money to finance the business opening, and undoubtedly, later when it struggled in the final years.  The shop was well received and Reg carried a wide variety of products.

Reg was doing very well in the early years, and opened a store in Summerside, about 45 miles away.  This proved to be a disaster, however, as there was not the same level of interest as he had experienced in Charlottetown, and after a few years, he was forced to close this location.

During the last two years before the bust, Reg's drug use was becoming obvious to friends, families, and probably to customers.  Reg was often in a stupor, and was not very alert; we did not know it, but he was getting very deep into his heroin addiction at the time.  We tried to get Reg to straighten out, but he would not listen with us.  It is hard to reason with an addict.

We were amazed that the store stayed in operation as long as it did.  The reason that the business continued to operate, was most likely the result of the very hard-working sister of his wife, who was a great manager and good with customers.

 

In Reg's words:

Eventually I moved to Charlottetown and opened my own business [Days of Wine and Beer], a retail store selling wine and beer making supplies. I was selling ounces and pounds of coke now, living the high life. I always had a roll of hundreds in my pocket. I had five cars and the money to do anything that I wanted. But nothing lasts forever … even cold November rain.