Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Hanson.
Hi Ali, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I went to school for entrepreneurship, so I always knew I wanted to own my own business; I didn’t know what it was then. I didn’t drink wine when I moved to California from Minnesota in 2013. Living in the Golden State, many of our social gatherings and weekend adventures were centered around this beverage with which I would soon fall in love! Being right where the grapes were grown, meeting the humans behind it, and enjoying some of my most fond memories thus far with a glass in my hand, it was inevitable that I would develop a palate for it. So, when Drew and I decided to move back to Minnesota, I used the life transition to put my degree into play. I wrote a business plan for a fun, welcoming wine bar that brought the bright, sunshiny vibes of Cali to the Midwest. There wasn’t anything like what I had in mind where we were headed, so I felt confident that I could bring something fresh and different to the community we landed in. It was a big decision to make, but it simply felt right. The journey was a giant learning curve, with some exciting and highly challenging days. Still, I was able to bring to life the vision I had: a space for people to gather and connect with friends and family, all while enjoying a great glass of wine paired with a delicious cheese and charcuterie board. We are wildly approaching the 5-year mark and have navigated a pandemic & an ever-changing economy, but we’ve persisted thanks to our incredible team & guests!
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been relatively smooth so far?
I wish! Ha! As I mentioned, a global pandemic didn’t make things easy for us a short 7 months into being open, but as a new business owner, I was already in a very adaptable state of mind, so we made the most of it! We were set to open The Vine Shop next door & used the mandated shut-down time to build & open that space. In addition to COVID, the economy has fluctuated quite a bit, and the cost of everything (not joking) has continued to increase year over year, making it a challenge to keep our prices approachable & meet our margins. Staffing for any business owner is likely a top challenge; I feel grateful to have worked with quite a few rad humans over the last 5 years & am proud to say for a service industry business, our turnover is pretty dang low, but managing many humans does take a toll. I still struggle with a healthy work & personal life integration (I wouldn’t say I like the word balance); it has gotten better over the years, but in my role, it is pretty challenging to shift gears and truly unplug or be fully present in my home life. I’m working on it 🙂
As you know, we’re big fans of The Vine Room & The Vine Shop. For our readers who might need to become more familiar with the brand, what can you tell them about it?
The Vine Room is a fun, welcoming wine bar that has turned into a go-to spot for many gatherings: date nights (lots of first dates!), happy hours, a place to host special events: bridal and baby showers, bachelorette parties, corporate meetings, book clubs, etc., a venue for approachable wine education classes, weekly live tunes, and a place to get creative with our Wine Wednesday Workshops featuring local artists. The Vine Shop is a curated bottle shop focusing on small-sized producers using sustainable farming & production practices, plus local craft beers & spirits! The Vine Shop also has the coolest wine club around, The Vine Club, which offers guests the opportunity to learn about & try insanely delicious & unique wines. We are more than a wine bar serving wine flights & charcuterie and a wine shop selling bottles of wine; the culture of these businesses and brands truly makes the spaces feel special when you walk in. See for yourself 🙂
Do you have any big plans?
I have been seeking stability for the last couple of years after having a very active first couple of years of business; we are celebrating 4 years of The Vine Shop & 5 years of The Vine Room this Summer, so I am really excited to hit those milestones! I genuinely believe these businesses have so much potential for continued growth & expansion after putting in so much love, time & energy into creating systems & processes, so we’ll see what’s to come ahead 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website:Â www.vinewineco.com
- Instagram:Â @vineroom.co & @vineshop.co
- Facebook:Â /vineroom.co & /vineshop.co
- Linkedin:Â https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-vine-room/
- Yelp:Â https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-vine-room-hopkins-2
Image Credits
Engle Olson Photography
