Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rachel Moore. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Rachel, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

My husband and I have always loved going to the TX Hill Country to try different Texas wines. We used to go several times a year, but then we started getting more involved in our other passion, dog rescue! We’ve saved over 40 dogs and cats!

Dog rescue is hard and takes up all of your time, which is why we rarely had the time to get away or go on vacation. We definitely missed our wine getaways! So a thought came to me, “I wish there was a local wine bar that featured TX wines that weren’t the typical ones found at grocery stores. Why not bring the Hill Country to Tomball?!”

After some careful research, we decided that Tomball (and all of NW Houston) was missing something that brought to locals what the Hill Country had to offer! We also knew that we didn’t want the typical bar atmosphere. We wanted a place where people would feel relaxed and comfortable. Where you could have a girls night, date night, or come alone and read a book in a quiet corner.

We immediately found the perfect spot for our new endeavor and converted a cute old house (built in 1941) into The Bluebonnet Tasting Room!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I had no professional experience in the wine industry, however what started out as a fun hobby, has turned into a passion and business. Wine tells a story, and it’s never the same!

The Bluebonnet Tasting Room offers people a chance to try a revolving selection of Texas wines through flights, by the glass, or by the bottle. We like to add new wine into our lineup about once a month, so there’s always something new to try!

What sets us apart, I believe, is the atmosphere and the fact that we only have 100% Texas wines! We love to support local, so what better way than to highlight TX’s own wines? We’re also dog friendly and usually have treats on hand for furry friends!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I had never started a business before, so I was completely unaware that in order to get a business loan you would need to have been in business for at least a year, and have business credit! I kept getting turned down for business startup loans, and thought the idea would die there.

My husband decided to go about getting a couple of personal loans to make it happen. We also had a few large limit credit cards that came in handy when preparing to open our business.

I’m proud of the fact that we still made it work even when the doors didn’t seem to open easily.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The first year in business has been a HUGE learning experience. We’ve had to learn the ebbs and flows of our industry, what kind of inventory our customers wanted, and all the other aspects of owning a business. We learned to pivot early on, going from wine tastings to offering beer, an awesome wine club, gift shop, and even a brand new building to serve as an event space and extra seating!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bluebonnettomball.com
• Instagram: the_bluebonnet_tomball
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/theBluebonnetTomball