David Sherman
“Humble Mogul”
In 1902, David Sherman, Sr., was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to Polish immigrants. He was the eldest of five boys. His father pushed a cart on the streets of Pine Bluff looking for scraps of metal and other items he could sell to support his family. David dropped out of school in his early teens and began working. He grew up with the values of hard work, perseverance, and humility, traits that would shape his future legacy in the world of distilled spirits.
Sherman entered adulthood just as American history was shifting. In 1927, he married Dorothy Cone, beginning a lifelong partnership that would anchor his family and fuel his future endeavors. Though the Great Depression and Prohibition cast shadows over the nation, David’s determination remained unwavering. In 1933, as Prohibition came to an end, he seized new opportunities, joining F. Strauss & Sons as a liquor salesman. His aptitude for sales and business soon elevated his standing, and he became a partner in the firm, signaling the beginning of his influence within the spirits industry.
By 1950, David and Dorothy, their son David Jr., and daughter Ann, embarked on a bold venture. They relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, where Sherman acquired Mid‑Continent Distributors, a regional liquor business. Soon, he had also purchased Paramount Liquor Company in St. Louis. Together, these franchises formed the backbone of a distribution network that soon employed some 500 people, stretching across Missouri and ensuring the Sherman family a prominent role in the local liquor trade.
Amid this period of growth, fate intertwined the Sherman and Lux families. Paul A. Lux, an Army veteran, was introduced to David’s daughter, Ann, during a college break and later again after serving in the Air Force. The couple fell in love and married in 1955, blending their personal and professional lives in ways that would transform the whiskey industry forever.
As his father‑in‑law’s businesses expanded, Paul Lux, now armed with an MIT engineering degree, declined a job offer at Paramount to instead collaborate with David. The two men shared a vision: instead of merely distributing, they would bottle and brand their own products. In July 1958, they founded the David Sherman Corporation (DSC), operating as a private‑label bottler tailored to local distributors and retailers. By October, they had begun selling under their own banner. From these modest origins, DSC grew through shrewd acquisitions and generational strategy. Their first brand development was Juárez Tequila in 1960, followed by collegiate omnipresent Everclear in 1980. Subsequently, they acquired popular Ezra Brooks (1993), Yago (1995), standouts Rebel Yell and Arrow (1999), and Salvador’s (2003), building a robust portfolio of recognizable names across whiskey, tequila, and other spirits. Ultimately, the partnerships at the heart of DSC evolved. In 2004, the Lux family purchased the Sherman family’s 50 percent stake, becoming sole owners of the company. To honor founder Paul A. Lux and usher in a new era, the company was re‑branded as Luxco in 2006.
Paul Lux and his business partner and beloved father-in-law enjoy a round of golf in the mid-1980s.
Beyond business, David Sherman Sr.’s family was entirely grounded in love and legacy. He and Dorothy’s two children, David Jr. and Ann, through his daughter’s marriage to Paul Lux, had both become patriarchs themselves of a wider family deeply embedded in the spirits industry.
David Sherman Sr.’s life ended on Easter Sunday in 1985, closing a chapter on a founder’s journey from salesman to industrial patriarch. His legacy laid the foundation for a company that grew steadily, retained its family-owned identity, and continued to innovate and expand in an ever-evolving industry. Yet, the story did not end there. Luxco remained rooted in the values established by David Sherman Sr. and Paul A. Lux, which guided acquisitions, brand strategy, and corporate culture.
Today, Luxco stands as a testament to that duo's vision: a company that has remained family-oriented, acquired a diverse array of spirits brands, and retained personal relationships at its core even as it joined larger corporate structures (namely its acquisition by MGP in 2021).
David Sherman Sr.’s life is a compelling narrative of entrepreneurial grit anchored in family, integrity, and adaptability. From his Polish‑immigrant roots in Arkansas to leading a regional powerhouse in St. Louis, his journey reflects the quintessential American success story. He built more than a company; he established a legacy: one that continues to pour, bottle, and toast to his memory.
Source:
Luxco Website, www.luxco.com/ourstory
Contributed by Tracy McLemore, Fairview, Tennessee
