We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sunshine Foss a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sunshine, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I founded Happy Cork in 2019 as a wine & spirits travel shop with an emphasis on community. Since opening our doors, Happy Cork has evolved into a travel destination for all people looking to experience the largest selection of Black- and minority-owned wine and spirits.

When I first ventured into the world of wine and spirits, I knew I needed to give a platform to the underserved, amazing brands that were often overlooked. It has become my passion to highlight and show these wonderful brands while catering to the community surrounding us.

We take a lot of pride in our customer service. We are dedicated to providing the most amazing experience, and we welcome our patrons to enter, ask questions and take their time taking in our store. Every single bottle has been tasted by our team, so we know everything that goes into the store is delicious and something we’d want to buy.

I’m constantly thinking of new ways to show our commitment to our community and cultivate beautiful connections among the people we serve.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised on the beautiful island of St. Lucia, so I consider myself to have had the best of both worlds. My early childhood was absolutely amazing, being able to experience growing up on a small island, but spending my summers in NY added so much value to my life.

Upon returning to the concrete jungle of New York, I moved again – this time to Miami, where I pursued my first passion, design. A new shift in my career followed when I returned and got married. Together, we pursued a career in real estate – complimenting each other’s talents of sharp business and a keen eye for design. Two kids, available space, and a dream later: Happy Cork Wine and Spirits was born.

My love for design greatly influenced the feel and product selection while developing the store. I wanted to ensure that Happy Cork was truly a happy place made for the community to find joy upon entering and that they enjoy our store and the brands we offer as much as we enjoy offering them to our customers.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My journey is kind of long-winded because I didn’t start out in the wine and spirits industry. I started in the design world and then transitioned into this industry.

For me, one of the main things was being able to go with the flow and roll with the punches while at the same time learning everything I could so I could make it as excellent as possible.

My background is completely different from what I’m in now, so for me, being able not just to adapt but make it as special as possible has been crucial to my journey.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

The fact that we have from the onset, from day one, we have been the pushers for everything Black-owned and we have highlighted women-owned brands has propelled us. We are not your typical liquor store and have instead become a destination space for anything Black-owned and women-owned. Having a niche and a close tie with the community has set us apart and helped bring us to where we are today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://happy-cork.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happycorkbrooklyn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happycorkbrooklyn/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cork_happy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiiXevDcq4k7CvO8ZedP0Xw/featured
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/happy-cork-brooklyn

Image Credits
Courtesy of Happy Cork.