Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Hanson.
Hi Ali, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hello! I’m Ali, The Vine Room and The Vine Shop’s founder & culture curator (fancy title, but casual gal). My sweet husband Drew and I are adventure-craving Minnesotans who traveled West for 5 years and experienced the sunshine, beauty, and amazing wine scene in Santa Barbara, California. (We actually lived in the COOLEST, little beach town, Carpinteria – go check it out next time you’re in the area!) When we first moved to Cali in 2013 I didn’t even LIKE wine! Can you believe it?? Now I’m IN LOVE; with the culture, the human connection and story inside every bottle; and of course the never-ending education. I’ll be a proud wine student for life! I wanted to bring a slice of that lifestyle and culture back to our home state, so The Vine Room wine bar was born in July of 2019 & The Vine Shop bottle shop in June of 2020.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a business, let alone two, is a giant undertaking mentally, physically, emotionally. I am grateful to have had (and continue to have!) support from my family, friends & husband, but it definitely has been a dynamic journey! There isn’t a guide yet created (maybe my next business idea!) with clear steps on how to start a business & all the required checkboxes you have to cross off in order to bring the idea to fruition. Every state, industry & every style of business has its own unique needs & I navigated in the dark, asking so many questions, learning so much and feeling so overwhelmed at times along the way. The biggest & most obvious struggle so far has been navigating a global pandemic. Operating in the restaurant industry as a business open for less than one year pre-covid, it was and still is wild! Truly like riding a rollercoaster. But both businesses are here & operating! Thanks to our amazing community & our team of Ambassadors.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
There are two! A fun, welcoming wine bar with a cool, curated bottle shop next door. We focus on making wine approachable by providing a space that is bright & cozy, offering wine education classes that are perfect for a date or night out, & serve wine flights that allow guests to try & learn about multiple wines in one sitting. The Vine Room makes incredible cheese & charcuterie boards that pair perfectly with our wines. We source our food ingredients from local vendors whenever possible! Our wine focus is on sustainably-produced domestic wines with a heart in California. There is so much good juice coming out of that state, and unfortunately, their reputation sometimes overshadows the quality, smaller producers we love. The Vine Room also has a rentable space called The Good Vibes Room, perfect for birthdays, showers, corporate meetings, etc. The Vine Shop next door sells everything available at The Vine Room & much more in an off-sale format. We have wine, local beers, (mostly) local spirits. Plus a super cool wine club for our fellow wine geeks: The Vine Club! A quarterly release of insanely delicious & unique wines.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
So many people deserve credit! I would run out of space if I were to list them all. A few to highlight:
– My husband Drew: cheerleader from the beginning & through it all + handyman, IT guy, comedian
– My family & friends: so much DIY help, especially before opening – painting, furniture assembly, construction
– Business advisor, Lee Hall – NextStage
– Banker, John Dooley – Sunrise Banks
– Full-time crew: Leah Anderson, Chris Flottman, Em Baker + my first employee Shar Peterson
– Team of amazing part-time Ambassadors!
– City of Hopkins – truly wonderful to work with, especially Amy Domeier 🙂
– Fellow local business owners: Blake (LTD Brewing), Megan (Unmapped Brewing), Amy (Amy’s Cupcake Shoppe) – all guided me during the start up phase & answered SO MANY of my questions
– and MANY, MANY MORE amazing humans & guests
Contact Info:
- Email: ali@vinewineco.com
- Website: vineroom.co | vineshop.co
- Instagram: @vineroom.co | @vineshop.co
Image Credits
Chris Flottman (@_flottography_)
