Boening Brothers Distributors
Boening Brothers Distributors of Long Island New York distributes beer and beverages to Nassau & Suffolk County and Eastern Queens including The Rockaway’s.
In 1901, Phillip Boening was a dairy farmer in Rosedale, Queens. Each week Phillip would make a trip to Brooklyn to visit the many breweries there to buy their spent grain to use as feed for his livestock. His neighbors would often ask him to pick up beer and bring it back for them. It wasn’t long before Phillip realized that it was more profitable to pick up and deliver beer than it was to be a farmer. Initially his fledgling business was no more than a one-man horse and wagon operation. From this humble beginning evolved a large, independent family owned beer and wine distribution company which includes a sister company, Oak Beverages, in Blauvelt, NY.
Today, the combined companies have over 70 delivery trucks, 6 warehouses, and 350 employees. Between Boening Brothers and Oak Beverages, they service the 5 boroughs of New York City, all of Long Island, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster Counties. Boening Brothers and Oak Beverages have recently added Wines and Liquors to its portfolio of available beverages.
Proudly Serving New York for over 110 Years
The original location of Boening Brothers Distributors was on the Boening farm in Rosedale. Today Boening Brothers is located in North Lindenhurst, Long Island. Phillip Boening’s son, Harry took over the business in 1930. Phillip Jr. later joined his brother. They were able to survive Prohibition by selling soda and “near beer” and became the first company to introduce Pepsi-Cola to Long Island. After the repeal of Prohibition, Boening Brothers was ready with a fleet of 10 trucks and were granted one of the first wholesale licenses issued by New York State.
In 1949 Boening Brothers became Miller’s Long Island wholesaler. In 1950 Harry’s son, Hap Boening, joined the growing family business and worked with the exception of 1952 and 1953 when he served in the Korean War. In 1962 Hap took over the business and is the current president of Boening Brothers. Hap’s daughter, Debra Boening, is the CEO of Oak Beverages. His son, Harold Boening Jr., is vice president of Boening Brothers and his son-in-law, Terry Barbeau, is the Boening Brothers sales manager.
Boening Brothers moved to its current location in North Lindenhurst in 1966
Under Hap Boening’s leadership, Boening Brothers moved to its current location in North Lindenhurst in 1966. Opened Oak Beverages in 1980 and has seen the expansion of Boening Brothers and Oak Beverages into 14 territories. New York is a diverse and dynamic area that encompasses many different regions with pockets of nationalities and idiosyncrasies. Boening Brothers has shown throughout the past 110 years that it can provide the beverages that such a diverse population desires.
Boening Brothers, Inc: A Century of Family Business
Boening Brothers, Inc., located in Lindenhurst, NY, is one of the most known and respected names in the beverage distribution business. Its story is intimately tied to 20th Century American history, as well as the growth and development of Long Island. In 1901 farmer Phillip Boening frequently made trips from his farm in Rosedale, Queens to the many breweries in Brooklyn in order to purchase spent grain, a brewing by-product, with which to feed his livestock. Before he would make these trips to the breweries, his neighbors would ask him to bring back some beer for them as well. Soon Phillip found that picking up beer from the breweries and delivering it to consumers was more profitable than farming, and a business was born. Eventually Phillip brought his two sons, Phillip Jr. and Harry, the eponymous brothers, into the business as well. The business grew slowly from its one man, horse-and-wagon operation to a multiple building facility on the site of the Boening farm in Rosedale, Queens. A fleet of trucks and drivers, a sales force, and an office staff were all added to the mix, and in 1930 Phillip Sr. passed the business on to his son Harry, and Phillip joined the team later. During Prohibition, the company stayed in business as a near-bear and soft drink wholesaler, and was the first company to introduce Pepsi-cola to Long Island.
World War II
World War II brought another new challenge to the company. Throughout the duration, no new trucks could be purchased, gasoline and tires were heavily rationed, and a large number of employees were drafted into the services. Harry Boening was able to adapt to these issues, and made many deliveries and trips to the breweries himself, often bringing his son Harold “Hap” Boening along with him. A major move forward would occur in 1949 with the addition of Miller Brewing Co. to the Boening Brothers portfolio. Miller products have since become the company’s flagship items, and the Boening family stands as one of the oldest Miller wholesalers in the country.
Year 1962
In 1962, Harry handed the business over to his son Hap. Born in 1932 in a house on the same compound as the warehouses in Rosedale, Hap spent his entire life in and around the family business. As a child he would frequently answer the phone and take orders or ride along with salesmen and truck drivers. After returning from service in the Korean War, Hap went to work for Boening Brothers full time in the sales department. As Long Island continued to grow in population, the need for a more centralized location for the warehouse and office became apparent. In 1966 under Hap’s leadership, Boening Brothers moved from Rosedale, Queens to its current location in North Lindenhurst, where a new building was constructed. This new facility includes a 120,000 square-foot warehouse, and stands at the border of Nassau and Suffolk counties in order to better service all of Long Island.
Year 1980
In 1980 another opportunity to expand presented itself as Hap Boening opened Oak Beverages, Inc. in Blauvelt, NY, a sister company that services New York City and many of its surrounding counties, including Rockland, Putnam, Duchess, Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster, increasing the Boening territory to 14 counties throughout New York State.
Year 2009
In 2009, Boening Brothers introduced an offering of wines and spirits to their portfolio in addition to beer stalwarts like Miller, among many other fine beers and ales. Additionally we have been on the cutting edge of today’s ever-growing craft beer phenomenon, carrying such products as Brooklyn Brewery, Sierra Nevada, and Montauk Brewing Company. We remain committed to the craft beer movement, are members of the Brewer’s Association, and Hap Boening was the recipient of the 2011 Golden Tap Lifetime Achievement Award for tirelessly promoting craft beers for decades in business.
After passing away in 2021, Boening Bros. leadership transitioned to Hap’s children. His daughter Debra Boening is CEO and son Harold Jr. serves as President.
Present
Today we employ nearly 150 individuals in various capacities such as sales, trucking, warehousing, office administration, beer plumbing, and product merchandising. We are active in our community, and look forward to a second prosperous century in the beer business.