VinElla @ 6 Months

[stevebody]

Guys,

Thanks for the feedback - again! Yes, I do a monthly newsletter that usually runs about 8 pages in PDF form, with as much color, graphics, and witty(?) writing as I can manage. I have a great time doing it. I also send out emails in between times if something pops up (or goes awry) and also do a separate tasting calendar mailout. Same here, people stand in the shop for 40 minutes, sometimes, reading my signage and I get constant feedback about the newsletter stuff, some of which isn't about wine, even. Every month, I put in a profile about some segment of our family, since we have one wall at the shop devoted to family photos.

We do tastings anytime we're open, even at 11 a.m. on a Tuesday. Our big tastings are on Saturday afternoons, usually from 3 to 5, and we'll generate an in-house theme tasting if we don't have a winery or importer. Here's what's coming soon:

April 29: Strong Ales from Unibroue, North Coast Brewing, Duinen, etc.

May 6: "Pretty in Pink" - Roses From All Over

May 13: Grateful Palate Imports of Berkeley

May 20: Belgians in America: Belgian Style Ales from Ommegang, Anderson Valley, And Allagash Breweries, by Click Imports

May 27: Dunham Cellars

June 3: Writer's Block & Steele

June 10: Stephenson Cellars

We've adopted a chartiable cause, which we had always planned to do. We chose The Mobility Project of Bremerton, WA, an organization that provides free wheelchairs and walkers to people who can't afford them all over the world and, most recently, to people who lost their mobility equipment in Hurricane Katrina. Any money charged for a tasting goes to these guys, which seemed a natural, given Judye's situation. We also give free, private tastings to anyone who needs a donation to any good cause. So far, that's included everything from the Everett Little League to Susan B. Komen Foundation.

We decided to use our ad budget to fund tastings, since each one gets new people into the shop. People tell me they enjoy the way I do the tastings, which is really flattering, so we do as many as we can.

Anytime you have a thought, I'd really welcome it. And thanks again for all the help so far!

(As for the job, Foodie, might wanna wait until we're making more money. I don't think we could afford you yet!)

[This message has been edited by stevebody (edited 04-29-2006).]