The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
SMOOTH TRANSITION
The Wine Roost achieving success at its new location in Fairport Harbor
The novel coronavirus pandemic brought business to a standstill for many retailers in the early part of 2020.
But The Wine Roost in Fairport Harbor Village found opportunities to bolster its revenue during the peak of the COVID-19 saga.
Lisa Cummings, owner of
The Wine Roost, said sales of her most popular products — wine and gift baskets — increased significantly as people interacted less because of state-mandated COVID-19 restrictions.
“We sent out a lot of ‘Thinking of You’ gifts and ‘Miss You’ gifts, because people couldn’t see each other,” she said.
In addition, The Wine Roost completed more transactions through its website and by meeting with customers outside of the store.
“I got strong online sales, but I also offered virtual shopping events for my customers, curbside pickup and free local delivery (within a 10-mile radius),” Cummings said.
Located at 217 High St., The Wine Roost specializes in creating wine and gift baskets, and sells local, domestic and imported wine from small, family-owned wineries. The store also features a wide variety of handmade gifts and home decor.
Overall, 2020 has proven to be an exciting and successful year for The Wine Roost, a business that Cummings launched four years ago.
The Wine Roost initially was located in a storefront on Third Street in Fairport Harbor.
“My first space on Third Street was small, but doable, and a reasonable price,” Cummings said.
Before becoming a brickand-mortar retailer, Cummings started out by setting up booths at local craft fairs. She sold some of her own handmade items as well as melted wine-bottle dishes produced by her brother, Jody Kunsman of Eastlake.
“That’s just something I did on weekends,” Cummings said.
The first year that Cummings operated her shop on Third Street, her product line did not include wine.
“I had my brother’s products and soaps and lotions and gift items, things like that,” she said. Cummings then reached a point when she realized she needed to distinguish her business from other similar shops. That’s when she decided to start selling local wines.
“And from that, then I started making wine baskets,” she said.
Last year, Cummings was presented with the opportunity to move from Third Street to High Street — which is Fairport Harbor’s version of the classic downtown Main Street.
“The owner of this building (at 217 High St.) reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in renting this space,” Cummings said. “For me, it was a no-brainer, because there’s more foot traffic on High Street. Space-wise it’s about the same size as my other location, but I also have a basement (at 217 High St.) for storage.” Cummings opened The Wine Roost location on High Street in January, and operated without interruption until about mid-March. That’s when COVID-19 restrictions prompted Cummings do business online and through curbside pickups and deliveries.
The Wine Roost began allowing customers into the store again in mid-May, and business has been brisk throughout the summer.
“Actually, we’ve had increased foot traffic,” Cummings said. “We have people coming from, it’s like a two-hour window: Erie, Pennsylvania; Akron; Canton; the west side of Cleveland; Pittsburgh. They’re coming here because it’s driveable. It’s a nice staycation. Because most people’s plans have been canceled for the big vacations.”
Visitors who come into The Wine Roost, or shop on its website, have plenty of inventory from which to choose.
To begin with, there’s a vast assortment of wine baskets, created around different themes, which can include foods such as cheese, summer sausage, artisan crisps, nuts and olives. The Wine Roost also stocks products such as wreaths, door hangings, plaques, quote blocks, sand-blasted mugs, small-batch soaps and seasonal home decor.
Some of the products are created by Cummings, Kunsman and other Ohio-based artisans. But Cummings also said she strives to acquire handmade items from women artisans and crafters.
“I’ve just found that the other women in businesses similar to mine have been very helpful to me,” said Cummings, who resides in Painesville Township. “They’ve shared contacts and shared experiences, and that’s helped me grow my business.”
Looking toward the future, Cummings said The Wine Roost is aiming to sell more wine and gift baskets to businesses. She also cited a few other things that she wants to accomplish.
“For next year, my goal is to increase retail sales and basket sales (as a specific category),” Cummings said. “Just keep moving forward.”