Fall is here ya’ll! Yes, I understand that it officially becomes Fall this next week, but oddly, in Dallas, it actually FEELS like Fall, in September! Isn’t it nice when it all comes together, the weather, the start of football season, the pumpkins arriving at the grocery stores, and the Mums are in full bloom? All that is missing right now is that the leaves haven’t yet started changing colors, though it won’t be much longer. Today I decorated the house for Fall and the smell of Autumn is in the air (could be the Fall candles)! I keep thinking how much more perfect this moment would be with just the right glass of red wine in hand…perhaps a perfect Stoneridge Farm Winery Cabernet or their amazing Surround. It could also be because I visited this Napa Winery in the Fall just 3 years ago and it was not only the most beautiful time of year at a beautiful winery, but their wine just seemed to embrace that feeling as well.
Autumn has also brought on the search for the perfect location for Wine Culture. I have found a location that I am currently considering – great area, nothing like this nearby and perfect amount of foot traffic to attract great clientele and to build the community environment desired. That said, to ensure the location works for my concept, there are a lot of questions to be answered. The first step is to look at the space’s blueprints and decide whether the square footage is correct for all that needs to be included: tables and chairs, bar, retail shelves, prep area in the back and (of course) a restroom. And, there are really important items that you don’t think about unless you have been in the restaurant/bar business before, such as grease traps and power support for commercial equipment. These are just a couple of factors that could be quite costly to add if they do not already exist.
The fun part is also starting to come to life – the design! It is really cool to look at the space and envision the tables and chairs, wine racks and the flooring, the lighting, the look of the bar and barstools and how the furnishings bring together what I want the environment to feel like. This environment can change a bit from season to season, so how does the design support that change. One way to plan for the seasonal elements is to put structure in place that lets the customer enjoy them. One idea is to install glass doors that fold back to open up the space to experience the outdoors while indoors. These windows will also maximize light during the months where the weather is too hot or too cold to enjoy the outdoors, while allowing for sunlight in a climate controlled environment.
As you can see there are many decisions to still be made but I am hopeful! To come across a place that checks so many boxes upon first visit, feels pretty great. So, fingers crossed, maybe this location will work and I will announce it soon. If it doesn’t, I am also hopeful that there are many locations coming available across Dallas and an even better place will be found. I am so excited to bring Wine Culture to life, to bring you the wines of the seasons and to invite in the hope that a new season brings. I look forward to you all joining me for those moments.
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