Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leah Bellemore. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leah, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
I was on a work trip in Charleston, SC in late 2020. When I solo travel I like to seek out local hidden gems to experience the heart of the city or town I am in. I found a wine bar / shop near by where they utilized self pour wine machines. What I loved about it, was that it removed the barrier that exists at the majority of establishments. I was able to taste wines at my leisure without the commitment of a full glass or bottle purchase. From there I just spiraled.
What I realized was that the majority of wine drinkers are not wine connoisseurs, they aren’t experts, and nor do they wish that they were. They just want to be able to find something they love without judgement, and without the pricing barrier. Wine (and even wine bars) has a stereotype of being a bit pretentious, arrogant even. I wanted to create a space where all wine drinkers alike, no matter where they are in their wine journey can come without judgement. Wine in itself evokes emotion, its a feeling. Its friends cozy-ing up on a couch, its a couple enjoying a bottle together after a long day, its an end of the day glass to get through through those emails that keep piling up. Its comfort in a bottle, and I wanted to create a space that reflects all of those things.
By utilizing self pour wine machines, we are able to offer guests a unique experience– one that they are in full control of. Wines are available in 3 pour sizes. 1 ounce tastes, 4 ounce (half glass) and 6 ounce full glasses. With the taste options– you can sip and savor your way until you find something you, yourself enjoy. Our staff is available to make recommendations but in a fun approachable way, we use terms that everyone can understand. We breathe life back into wine and the experience rather than make those feel uneducated or that they should be making choices based upon someone else’s preferences.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Vine 32 is the first of its kind in the state of New Hampshire. We offer 32 (always changing, ever evolving) wines on tap and a grazing menu perfect for pairing. While we may be the first to offer self pour wine machines at our establishment, I like to think we are the first to create a new narrative around wine itself.
We believe that great wine should be accessible by all. We believe that wine is a comfort, and that our space should be warm and welcoming and easy. We are a space where positive energy is embraced and paid forward and we put community in everything we do. We partner with small businesses as a space where they can host their events and workshops, and we even host a quarterly small business networking event (put on 100%) by us where other women business owners can come together to network, share and cheer each other on.
From wine tastings (duh!), to workshops (wreaths, watercolor, calligraphy, potting, charcuterie building), to workout classes (barre, pilates, yoga) to comedy nights, trivia and so much more– we really believe in creating a place where there is always a reason to come together, and enjoy each other over a glass.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When my husband and I first decided that this was something that we wanted to persue we needed to do a lot, and I mean a lot of convincing. Since we were a new concept in the state, we had to convince them. We had to convince a bank to lend, we had to convince our landlord that we were a worthy business model, and we need to convince insurance companies how to insure us.
We had A LOT of doubters. And those that were really quick to dismiss. I took on the initiative to start the conversations with some local banks. And to say the rate of dismissal, and annoyance I got from them was alarming. I won’t name names, but when I spoke to a local bank the reaction I got was “do you need help writing a business plan?”. So patronizing, so quick to reject and brush me off. I was an annoyance to them.
And I immediately decided that I didn’t want to do business with someone if this was how they were going to treat me from the get go. So I cut ties with them and every other bank I spoke to that didn’t genuinely feel interested in me or my idea, or even more so treat me like a human. I started looking at bank’s Meet the Team pages and reading about the individuals I would want to do business with. I landed on Jacy Amenkowicz from Bank of New Hampshire. Something about her picture, and her background made me want to talk to her. And that gut feeling, I was right. She took the time to listen to me and my idea, give me feedback and encourage me to pursue and she would help me find the right loan for my little dream.
Looking back we were up against alot of odds making this work. We had never owned a business before and we were looking to create something that had never existed. We needed to make people see what we saw over and over again, but the excitement behind it, the resilience we had, didn’t’ stop us
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Honestly, when we started this vision for Vine 32– I knew that community needed to be one of our core pillars. But thats easier said than done. I wanted it to be something that was felt at our space and that would require a lot of work. I began by joining local chambers and groups, I reached out to other local businesses for event partnerships. I wanted to be a place that spotlighted other businesses and cheered on others successes. It takes a lot of guts to do this and everyone who takes that leap should be celebrated.
I think that in the past 18 months those relationships that I have built and continue to build are what carries us. I have attached our name to this business. Tom and I live in this town, our children attend school here, we are proud to be here. I think that those connections whether within the walls of Vine 32 or outside are what people remember. And thats what people want to support.
Beyond the feeling, we make sure that we hire GOOD people. We look beyond the hard skills– those can be teached. But the soft skills, the kindness, the warmth. That cannot. We want guests to come in and feel welcomed– like they are going to their friends house to enjoy a glass of wine on their couch, that they are connecting with their loved one over a glass after a long day, or finishing their work day on a high note with a glass to just carry them through the finish line. Those feelings are what bring people back.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vinethirtytwo.com
- Instagram: @vinethirtytwo
- Facebook: facebook.com/vinethirtytwo
Image Credits
Kelly Anne Photography Kevin Hardman Photography