Jan 16, 2012
08:00 AM
New Wine Shop Opening in Fairfield Metro Center
Image courtesy Casa de Vino
If you’ve lost that lovin’ feeling for your local wine shop, try something new. Casa de Vino will open on Friday, February 3rd in the Fairfield Metro Center, the same shopping plaza that is home to Staples, Tasty D-Lite, and Fairfield Pizza.
Owner Sohil Patel, 22, comes to the wine world honestly. For the last 10 years, he has been watching his parents run their wine shop. Originally from Wallingford, he has seen the ins and outs of running a business in the wine industry. He ran his own shop, Julianne’s, in Bridgeport before he sold it last fall.
When the opportunity arose to purchase this spot, he didn’t hesitate. “Having Fairfield Pizza next door will help a lot,” said Patel. “We plan on doing some joint marketing.”
Who can argue with pizza and a bottle of wine? While the location is a prime spot, he realizes he has some stiff competition in town. Super Discount Wine & Spirits on Tunxis Hill and Mo’s Wine & Spirits and Harry’s Wine & Liquor Market on Post Road round out the biggest contenders. His plan? Unique wines from different regions that no one else carries, a tasting lounge, and a mobile app that let’s you order ahead of time.
“There’s not really a store in this area that’s doing that,” he said of the mobile app. “That’s the next big thing in marketing and nobody’s really doing social media here.”
Patel also has a Facebook page that he updates frequently. He mentioned that other wine shops in the area also have Facebook pages, but he said they don’t update them enough to really make use of the technology.
But the one thing in his shop that he thinks patrons will be drawn to is the tasting lounge. From 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday evenings, Casa de Vino will host a tasting of wines, microbrew beers, and liquors while customers relax. No bar stools, just couches. It falls in line with their “Welcome Home” theme to the shop.
“It’s a recent trend in the wine industry,” said Anthony Diep, 23, Casa de Vino’s Marketing Director. “The tasting bar will really give it a home-y feel.”
Another element to the space that gives it a “home-y” feel is the hand-painted murals on the wall. Local artist Lynn Pritchard has painted scenes of a serene Italian vineyard. The biggest one, four feet by 48 feet, will be wrapped around the top edge of the wine refrigerators toward the back of the store.
“I’m psyched these guys hired an actual artist,” said Pritchard. “People don’t do that.”
Patel plans on having similar versions of Pritchard’s paintings available for sale in the store as well.
Patel and his marketing director, Diep, are two young guys that give the shop a hip edge, but are savvy enough to give it an old-world feel. They are aware of market trends, like the desire for all things local and organic. But they are also keen on the customer looking for that something special to cellar or drink on a special occasion. And for them, Fairfield was the right spot.
“In Bridgeport, you could see the real effect of the economy. People wanted more bang for their buck,” said Patel of Julianne’s before he sold it. “But in Fairfield, people are buying what they want and not afraid to spend money to drink what they want.”
For more information on what they plan to carry in the shop, contact Sohil Patel by e-mail at Sohil.Patel@casadevinofairfield.com. Or visit them on Facebook and see what’s happening.
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Reader Comments:
This article is a joke right? 22 years old and "has seen the ins and outs of running a business in the wine industry"? Comments like this infuriate people and people like this have no idea why.
Meanwhile, on facebook, they post pictures of the store and it's progress but I'm not sure if I'm suppose to be looking at his brand new BMW M3 or the store.
I've shopped at Julianne's and can honestly say I've never seen this kid before, probably because he was learning the "outs" of the industry.
I'll stick towards supporting a store with class and tradition like Harry's and even the new owners of Julianne's who I have found to be very warm and courteous.
What a crock of crap and NO THANK YOU
Do they all go to the same university so they learn how to open liquor stores? and of course not paying their bills, that goes without saying
Like Gerard I will stick with Harry's.