Our Partnership with Sweetwaters on the River: One Door Closes and another Opens
We have survived many ups and downs over the years. We've learned that often times in business as in life when one door closes another seems to magically open. As I'm sure many of you have heard by now our LaVelle Wine Bar & Grille will be closing on May 1st. We started our original in town location at the 5th Street Public Market way back in 1999. After several different versions of that space along with conversions of the market we decided to move to our current location on International Way next to Willie's Lebanese Restaurant in North Springfield.That space and the parking have been wonderful but we've found that it's more difficult for people to get used to North Springfield as our location.
For many years we've had very little distribution outside of our two locations. Our two main Downtown Eugene Hilton and Sweetwaters on the River at the Valley River Inn Hotel. Our partnership with Willie's has been more recent but just as important to us. We have enjoyed working with staff at these locations and building a long term relationship with them over many years. Recently, we were speaking with the Food & Beverage Directors at these establishments and they both expressed an interest in having us partner with them more extensively as locations for us to have wine club members pick up their wine club shipments, directly connecting with their hotel guests for a vineyard touring package at our winery in Elmira, and of course selling and helping their staff with our wines inside their restaurants.
relationships in town started up over 20 years ago at the
As the Downtown Hilton is just beginning a major remodel of their restaurant we thought the timing would be better at Sweetwaters. Avery Poliak, their Food & Beverage Director, has been really excited about transforming their Duck Room into a Wine Tasting Room. It didn't take us long to
figure out that this location would be perfect for LaVelle Vineyards! We have been working on some improvements which include what has become our signature barrel stave wall and barrel tables.
We're looking forward to serving our customers here as part of a tasting room partnership. What does that mean for current wine club members exactly? Well, what it means now may change down the road a little ways. What we'd like to offer is a convenient location for club members to pick up their shipments one day a week to start. The same day every week, and at this point it will be Thursday evenings from 5-8 PM. This will start on Thursday, May 3rd. We will have a few extra pick up opportunities the first week after a wine club shipment that will probably occur at Willie's and Sweetwaters.
This month our family has been on this fun wine industry ride for 24 years. In July of this year I will celebrate my own 12th anniversary of working with my Dad. I will have officially been a part of the business for half of it's life! My daughter Maggie, the third generation of LaVelle's, just starting working here a few weeks ago. She's starting right where I did in the tasting room making cheese plates and washing dishes. I couldn't be more proud. As things continue to change in our industry our family will continue to grow and survive. No, thrive!
For many years we've had very little distribution outside of our two locations. Our two main Downtown Eugene Hilton and Sweetwaters on the River at the Valley River Inn Hotel. Our partnership with Willie's has been more recent but just as important to us. We have enjoyed working with staff at these locations and building a long term relationship with them over many years. Recently, we were speaking with the Food & Beverage Directors at these establishments and they both expressed an interest in having us partner with them more extensively as locations for us to have wine club members pick up their wine club shipments, directly connecting with their hotel guests for a vineyard touring package at our winery in Elmira, and of course selling and helping their staff with our wines inside their restaurants.relationships in town started up over 20 years ago at the
As the Downtown Hilton is just beginning a major remodel of their restaurant we thought the timing would be better at Sweetwaters. Avery Poliak, their Food & Beverage Director, has been really excited about transforming their Duck Room into a Wine Tasting Room. It didn't take us long to
We're looking forward to serving our customers here as part of a tasting room partnership. What does that mean for current wine club members exactly? Well, what it means now may change down the road a little ways. What we'd like to offer is a convenient location for club members to pick up their shipments one day a week to start. The same day every week, and at this point it will be Thursday evenings from 5-8 PM. This will start on Thursday, May 3rd. We will have a few extra pick up opportunities the first week after a wine club shipment that will probably occur at Willie's and Sweetwaters.
This month our family has been on this fun wine industry ride for 24 years. In July of this year I will celebrate my own 12th anniversary of working with my Dad. I will have officially been a part of the business for half of it's life! My daughter Maggie, the third generation of LaVelle's, just starting working here a few weeks ago. She's starting right where I did in the tasting room making cheese plates and washing dishes. I couldn't be more proud. As things continue to change in our industry our family will continue to grow and survive. No, thrive!
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