Leschi Market family honors loved ones with new wine label

Yousef Shulman honors his grandparents and continues their legacy in the community every day the Leschi Market opens. A new wine label will elevate not only their history but also help fund cancer research and patient care.

S. Leonard Shulman, Yousef’s grandfather, met Betty Lou Edelson at Garfield High School, and the two married shortly after graduation in 1951.

Leonard Shulman started working for his uncle-in-law in 1962. He and Betty Lou, with their son, John, bought the store from Hank Edelson’s son in 1977.

Yousef now owns the store with his uncle, Steve Shulman, the oldest son of Leonard and Betty Lou.

Betty Lou Shulman died in 1995, following a long battle with cancer. Leonard Shulman later remarried. Cancer claimed his life last December, after a five-year battle. He was 85.

Ever since Leschi Market significantly expanded its wine section in the late ‘90s, community organizations have worked with the Shulmans to host fundraisers.

After 10 years searching for wineries to partner with, the Shulmans created their Leschi Cellars label in 2017.

They will once again curate the selection for the Madrona Wine Tasting Fundraiser, which takes place 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at the St. Therese Social Hall, 926 35th Ave.

Yousef Shulman tells MPT it will also mark the official release of Shulman Estate, a new wine label that honors his grandparents. Leonard's Embrace & Betty Lou Red are already for sale at Leschi Market for $39.99, with a portion of the proceeds going to the City of Hope cancer research and treatment institute.

A photo of Leonard and Betty Lou Shulman at their Garfield High School prom graces the label of both bottles. Yousef said he’d wanted to create the label for a while, but his grandfather encouraged him to wait until his passing. As the time grew near, Yousef said his grandfather told him it was important that he finish the label.

Tickets to the Madrona Wine Tasting Fundraiser, which benefits the neighborhood community council, can be purchased here. More about the Leschi Market is at leschimarket.com.