Alumni
After Episcopal
Philip ’04 and David ’07 Glaize
Since 1937, the Glaize family has grown apples in the Shenandoah Valley. Hailing from Winchester, Va., Philip ’04 and David ’07 Glaize now represent the fourth generation of apple farmers, and they’re bringing a new twist to an old family business: turning their apples into cider.
“Glaize Apples was started by our great-grandfather and his two sons: our grandfather and great uncle, who ran the company. When our great uncle passed away, our dad [Phil Glaize ’74] knew he had to step up if they were going to keep growing apples,” Philip said. “And now it’s our turn. The heritage and pride for what our family does makes us proud.”
Apple farming isn’t the only Glaize legacy David and Philip have continued, attending The High School is as well. “I was more intrigued by Episcopal because Philip was there and our dad went there,” said David. “So, for me, it was about following in Phillip’s footsteps, but also about our parents recognizing that it was the best source of education for us.”
Although taking over the family company was always the plan for Philip and David, their father enacted a policy that the brothers had to spend five years working outside of the orchard. Philip worked in the produce industry in New York City, and David was a middle school math teacher in Alexandria at the same school where he completed his senior externship while at The High School.
“No matter where Philip and I landed for those five years, the experience we brought back was the ability to put on a different hat,” David said. “In our dad’s eyes, there’s value in just having a different experience and outlook.”
As the next generation taking over the company, the brothers hope to usher in a new era with the addition of Old Town Cidery. Two years ago, they launched their hard cider business and are now minting, processing, and canning hard cider from their own Glaize Apples. “There are always new ventures for us, and our goal is to stay vertically integrated,” Philip said. “We’re still growing apples, but we’re doing it differently.”
As members of a 35-person team, the Glaize brothers understand the importance of establishing a culture of teamwork and an environment of inclusivity. “We’re blessed with an almost 100% Latinx crew and we treat each other like family,” said David. “We joke around like family, but we also work hard together like family, and it’s incredibly rewarding.”
Blazing a new path requires courage, fearlessness, and work ethic, which are skills they say they learned at EHS. “If I had to describe it in one word, we were fortunate,” Philip said. “The opportunities were unreal, and it was important to take full advantage of Episcopal.”
While Glaize Apples can be found in grocery stores nationwide, the cider is currently self-distributed and will be available in northern Virginia by the end of the year. Follow Old Town Cidery on Instagram @oldtowncidery, or visit their website at oldtowncidery.com. Better yet, they say, stop by if you find yourself in Winchester, Va.
“No matter where Philip and I landed for those five years, the experience we brought back was the ability to put on a different hat,” David said. “In our dad’s eyes, there’s value in just having a different experience and outlook.”
As the next generation taking over the company, the brothers hope to usher in a new era with the addition of Old Town Cidery. Two years ago, they launched their hard cider business and are now minting, processing, and canning hard cider from their own Glaize Apples. “There are always new ventures for us, and our goal is to stay vertically integrated,” Philip said. “We’re still growing apples, but we’re doing it differently.”
As members of a 35-person team, the Glaize brothers understand the importance of establishing a culture of teamwork and an environment of inclusivity. “We’re blessed with an almost 100% Latinx crew and we treat each other like family,” said David. “We joke around like family, but we also work hard together like family, and it’s incredibly rewarding.”
Blazing a new path requires courage, fearlessness, and work ethic, which are skills they say they learned at EHS. “If I had to describe it in one word, we were fortunate,” Philip said. “The opportunities were unreal, and it was important to take full advantage of Episcopal.”
While Glaize Apples can be found in grocery stores nationwide, the cider is currently self-distributed and will be available in northern Virginia by the end of the year. Follow Old Town Cidery on Instagram @oldtowncidery, or visit their website at oldtowncidery.com. Better yet, they say, stop by if you find yourself in Winchester, Va.
