Welcome Home is owned and operated by life and business partners, Jennifer Baker and John Laucik. Welcome home is the sister store of our gourmet specialty market, Chester River Wine & Cheese.
The first thing you can expect when you walk through our door is a big hearty, “Welcome!” We appreciate that customers, and our employees, have a choice in where they shop and work. It is our job to create a warm, friendly, positive environment where questions and knowledge are welcome and shared.
Every guest who walks through our door is treated with dignity and respect. We maintain a zero harassment workplace. We kindly ask the same of our customers. This policy extends beyond our doors to social media. Harassment and bullying of any kind are not tolerated. As employers we strive to create a positive and professional environment where everyone is welcome.
This is our second, and favorite, career.
We’re management consultants by background, foodies, and retailers by passion. In 2015 we turned our passion into a business and opened the Chester River Wine & Cheese Company. Two years later we opened Welcome Home Chestertown, and in spring 2021 we added Welcome Home Annapolis. In 2024 we expanded to Easton, MD.
John’s expertise is in finance, supply chain, and process design. He consulted with E&Y and The North Highland Company prior to leaving his consulting career to open our first business, the Chester River Wine & Cheese Company. Jenn’s expertise is in helping companies succeed in times of change. Jenn was an organization development, change management, and communication consultant helping companies navigate big transitions. First with Accenture, then North Highland (hint, that’s where she and John fell madly in love), and finally, Aon.
Together we make life fun. John’s passionate about wine and store operations. Jenn’s the design nerd. We both cook a pretty fantastic dinner and love to host a good cocktail party.