Spy games

Wine entrepreneur Mitchell Soffer spends a lot of time in clandestine spy mode.

The owner of Sarasota-based thewinetobuy.com, Soffer says he spends seven days a week checking prices, inventories and products at his competitors. That goes from websites to brick and mortar mom-and-pops to big stores such as Costco and Total Wine & More. Prices at his store range from $15 a bottle to more than $2,000, for something like a bottle of Screaming Eagle.

“I go out snooping,” says Soffer. “I leave no stone unturned.”