Horizon Wine & Spirits' roots started with B & G Wholesalers, Inc. The company was founded by Harold "Jobe" Bernard and his partner, James "Tubby" Gordon, in 1947. Located on Jo Johnson Street, they launched the business on a “shoestring” which entailed one warehouse man, a truck and one brand of bourbon called Park and Tilford. Over the next few years, they struggled to develop their business adding such brands as Corby's and Barclay's. Eventually, Mr. Bernard acquired all ownership from his partners, Mr. Gordon and Charles Berss.

Starting in 1959, Mr. Bernard expanded his business by acquiring five other wholesale liquor distributorships in Nashville. B & G Wholesalers became the largest beverage wholesaler in the area and one of the largest in Tennessee.

In 1961, Jobe Bernard extended his business outreach by launching Lookout Beverage in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Jobe’s son, Thomas E. Bernard, took over management of the business in 1977. The father and son team made a series of strategic acquisitions, which made it the largest alcoholic beverage distributor in Southeastern, Tennessee.

Unfortunately, Jobe Bernard suffered a debilitating illness and retired in 1988. His son, Thomas Bernard, succeeded him and became the principle owner of the companies. Over the last 20 years, both companies have continued to expand their market-share in Tennessee and gained exclusive distribution rights to major suppliers of both wine and spirits.

 Having outgrown its Nashville location, Horizon is in the process of building a state of the art warehouse to address the growth we are experiencing in Middle Tennessee. Employing the most up to date materials handling equipment, Horizon will be one of the most sophisticated distributors for its volumes in the country. Along with its recently developed software implementation, the company expects to maximize its growth potential in the coming years.