Drinking your favourite alcoholic beverage at the end of a long day is a time-honoured tradition in South Africa, and our local liquor stores keep us supplied. There are hundreds of liquor stores across the country, and Stellenbosch’s Van der Stel Liquor Shop is the oldest operating one.
Van der Stel Liquor Shop was once known as the Van Backström Wine Merchant, back when it first opened in 1891. It has stood proudly at 30 Andringa Street, Stellenbosch for over a century. It is also one of the oldest remaining historical buildings in Andringa Street.
In 1986, the building was named a provincial heritage site. The 129-year-old store was sold to Daniel Ferdinand Bosman and George Trigance Powis in 1899, who renamed it the Van der Stel Bottle Store.
The store was reopened by Mayor van Deventer in 2018 and now operates as the Checkers LiquorShop Van Der Stel. In a statement at the time, Shoprite said it was committed to preserving and the building’s historical features and conserving its heritage status.
Picture/s: Facebook / Stellenbosch Municipality
