Triangle Wine Company closes all Wake County locations after decade-long run

Triangle Wine Company has shut down all of its Wake County locations, ending a more than decade-long run that started in Morrisville and spread to Cary, Holly Springs and Raleigh. The closure hits several communities at once, leaving regular customers without a familiar place for wine recommendations, craft beer, non-alcoholic spirits and tasting-bar service.

The company was opened in 2011 and was owned by Chris Roche, Glenn Hagedorn, Tom Terwilliger and Kevin Adair. It grew from its original Morrisville store into a regional chain, but that first location had already closed in 2018. The Cary shop at 575 New Waverly Place in Waverly Place had become one of the better-known stops, with a selection that included domestic and import wines and craft beers, plus a tasting bar that let shoppers sip and shop for as little as $5 a glass.

The shutdown was tied to license changes at the state level. The North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission said permits that were not renewed or registered by the June 1 deadline were permanently cancelled, and permits connected to Triangle Wine Company in Cary, Holly Springs, Raleigh and Southern Pines were cancelled that day. For Wake County customers, that means the loss is not just one storefront but a cluster of neighborhood shops that had served several parts of the Triangle.

The abruptness also gave the closing an emotional edge. Triangle Wine Company’s website shifted to a technical-difficulties message after the shutdown, and local coverage said the owners posted a farewell message thanking loyal customers and pets. That kind of exit underscores how quickly a longtime independent retailer can disappear even after building a loyal following over years.

The closure lands in a wider market that has been getting tougher for smaller alcohol businesses. Recent reporting on North Carolina craft beer found that closures have outpaced openings, and beer sales in the state fell 9.7% between 2021 and 2025. In that environment, specialty shops like Triangle Wine Company have faced rising pressure from costs, changing consumer habits and consolidation, while customers are left to find new places that can match both the selection and the service.