Shelton Brothers, the importer behind beers like Cantillon, Mikkeller, Fantome and scores of others, has reportedly reached a distribution agreement with MSV Distribution signalling a long-awaited return to Chicago.
Beers from Shelton Brothers’ portfolio and another MSV distributed brand, Storm and Anchor, have begun popping up on store shelves in Chicago in recent days. We have reached out to both Shelton Brothers and MSV Distribution but neither have responded to our request for comment. Multiple sources, however, have confirmed that Shelton Brothers’ portfolio is being distributed by MSV.
Beers from Shelton Brothers’ have been absent from store shelves in Chicago for months after the importer had a falling out with its now former distributor, Lakeshore Beverage. A spokesperson for Shelton Brothers never addressed the reason why they severed ties with Lakeshore. However, the move came after The Hand Family purchased City Beverage and BDT Capital purchased River North Sales and Service. The two were then rolled into one mega distributor — Lakeshore — with the Hand Family running the day-to-day operations. Shelton Brothers, at the time, was under the River North umbrella.
MSV Distribution is owned by Miguel Silva, who co-owned Villains Bar & Grill in the South Loop (or Printers Row, depending on who you ask). Villains has since closed up shop, moved across the street and is undergoing a reboot of sorts. Silva is in the process of opening the new Villains, where he’s managing the bar program and overseeing the city’s first temperature-app
MSV’s portfolio now consists of the aforementioned Shelton Brothers and Storm and Anchor along with Jester King out of Austin, TX.