Brian: 0:11

All right, welcome back to the Vero Beach podcast. This is part three here with Dana from Vino Vero. But before we get started, I've got like I've had this note made to talk to you about and I totally forgot it's probably the red wine.

Shawna: 0:25

So it's your fault.

Brian: 0:26

But let's go back and I want to talk about like something that I remember when we were scheduling the podcast and you kind of hinted a little bit around it at the beginning about how sometimes, even though you're supposed to be open, you're not open. When we came in here to to have some wine and met some of the people here in the community, you told us that you're getting ready to take a break and some people were like, oh, you shouldn't, like you can't do that, like it's too early, you can't be doing that. I don't know what all I told you, but I've heard it before. Obviously I'm thinking she took a break because she needed to rest and she needed to recharge which.

Brian: 0:57

I feel like is some of the most important things that we need to do as business owners.

Shawna: 1:01

As people in general, as people in general.

Brian: 1:05

Yes, you're right. Tell me a little about that, because you just got back right, you just reopened, you took a break. So tell us a little bit about your break why you took that break and why you feel like that was important.

Shawna: 1:15

Yes, it was a two week break, which first came from the fact that I haven't seen my brother or my niece or my sister-in-law. It's not been forever, but it's been a year, and the last time I saw him it was at my dad's funeral. But, having the shop and business, I've literally not taken any breaks since I bought it out because I'm the only employee you know, I don't have anyone that can jump in and work a shift here and there, so it's just me, and I hadn't kind of let myself and maybe that's why I woke up and I was like, oh my gosh, I need to see family. I need to do these things because, at the end of the day, what I have here is really fun and great, but I can't let it run my life and or let like stuff that really matters kind of float by.

Shawna: 1:57

I originally started as that and then the timing wise just worked out that I had some friends. It was really cool. Two of my interns that I hired at a winery out in California hired them onto the same team. They didn't know each other, but they fell in love. That vintage it was 2017. I went out for their wedding, so the week in New York turned into two weeks with California, and it was a really good, really good break that I was apprehensive to take, which you're totally right.

Brian: 2:23

I kind of started this whole episode off. We got really heavy quickly. But the thing is, like you know, when we talk about like the community here in Vero and the love for the community, you taking that break is actually beneficial for the community too because it re-energizes you as well. As a local business owner Like you need that and it's important because it brings it, re-energizes you to bring that life back into the business and running Vino Vero.

Shawna: 2:47

And that is the beauty of like a seasonal town. Like there's a lot of you know, like pluses and minuses to being in a seasonal town, especially owning a business, but like that is, yeah, I mean that is pretty funny that there is like a time when everyone can do that and then other times it's very obvious like nobody takes break. Yeah, exactly.

Brian: 3:05

You know I love that too. You just brought up the seasonal town, so let's talk about that for a second. What is, what is that time for you Like? What do you see like from the history? And then and then also, how can the community support you during that time?

Shawna: 3:15

It is very obvious. But I also feel like it's getting less and less drastic, because I think more people are coming to stay full year, Like they really are falling in love with it. A lot of people are moving here more permanently but a lot of people are like, oh God, the snowbirds are coming and I'm like, yes, let's bring it on.

Shawna: 3:34

Yes, cha-ching, but also like it's bring it on Cha-ching, yes, cha-ching, but also like it's just so fun. There's like so many people in town visiting and like you're here in a cute little beach town. Most of the time people are happy. Yes, it's busy, parking is a bitch. I will request that Vero Beach does something for the business owners about parking, because moving my car when I have people in here is really hard. That's just like a one little tidbit, but I that's how I can be helped is is figuring out something for that. So, anyway, it's great business. It's people that are exploring or visiting family and it really does turn on like traffic is crazy, parking is crazy, but it's also super fun and like way more stuff is going on. In the winter it's more temperate, like I think we all look forward to it.

Brian: 4:16

When do you see that switch what month?

Shawna: 4:18

Thanksgiving for me, like November yeah.

Brian: 4:21

Yeah, there's a slowdown like around September. Yeah.

Shawna: 4:25

Pretty much. What I've noticed is my slowest times, I think is August and September.

Brian: 4:30

Okay, now we're going to get to Vero Beach.

Shawna: 4:32

Thank you guys all for handling it.

Brian: 4:33

Oh, this town, yeah. So what do you love most about this town? I?

Shawna: 4:37

do. I love the little laid back beach town vibe, but it's got this like kind of air about it. We're not just like a sleepy beach town. There's a lot of really cool like culture and history. That's very small but it's there. I love that. The people really love supporting their local businesses. It's so fun, so cute. It's very unique.

Shawna: 4:56

Everyone's very excited to talk to all the other people that aren't from here about how cool their town is, which is so cool. And I and, being a new person, a newcomer it is really cool how quickly you kind of get like inducted, even if you're yeah, it's like it takes a little time, but people really do kind of come together here and there's just a lot of fun stuff to do. I think it's just got like such great energy and a really cool community that wants to help each other. That was really easy to see during the storm and the tornado last year. Just I was like came back to work and was trying to get this going, but hearing about all the people like I don't know, just out walking around their neighborhood helping other people, like I feel like that does hopefully happen everywhere. But it is really cool to see in a really small, very affluent beach town, Like people really do care about each other quite a bit and it showed during that time when it comes to wine, you're talking about different pairings.

Brian: 5:50

So what's your favorite Vero Beach wine pairing experience?

Shawna: 5:55

It could be a cheesy answer, but what I found myself drinking more of like it's stuff that's going to drink well on a beach and that just turns out to be bubbles, I guess, and that, I don't know, might be a little cliche sounding, but a pairing I mean being on the beach with some charcuterie and a nice little dry bottle of bubbles Like that sounds really perfect and very Vero. So yeah, I'm going to say that Bubbles of any sort, I mean champagne. I always have a mean champagne selection, but then, for the easier on the pocketbook, there's always a myriad of different bubbles.

Brian: 6:30

This has been great. We've enjoyed sitting down with you and having all these conversations. If someone is intimidated by wine, what's your encouragement or approach to helping them come and explore it?

Shawna: 6:42

Ooh, to help them. I mean, even if it's not with me, honestly just owning it and being like I know nothing. But I'm curious. That's all you have to say. I mean, I would hope that's with anything in this world that you can just state I don't know much about this, but I'm curious. I guess an easy way I hate to say it, but a really easy entry into wine is bubbles If you're really intimidated and you're okay with a little carbonation goodness like I've converted so many beer drinkers to wine through bubbles.

Shawna: 7:10

So yes there's always someone out there, a friend or an acquaintance, that is a wine drinker, so latching onto a friend. But honestly, I always love when people come into my store. I will, yes, I absolutely love it when someone comes in and says I know nothing.

Brian: 7:26

What's the best way for people to connect with you?

Shawna: 7:28

Best way, honestly, is Instagram. You can just message me on Instagram. So it's at Vino Vero Beach.

Brian: 7:35

Well, this is. This has been a great, great conversation. I'm going to leave you with one more question, Dana what's your vision for the future of Vino Vero?

Shawna: 7:44

Oh, this is a very hot topic right now. In my life I've thought and I've had I've been approached many to expand, which would be super fun and totally crazy and not out of my MO of doing something impulsive and nutty. However, that's not going to happen. For a little while I just really kind of want to. I mean, I've only been pouring wine at the shop. I've only turned from a retail shop to a wine bar. It'll be a year in November, so I have only have a year under my belt to kind of see how that went for me. And it's already shown that it's, you know, was a smart business move. Obviously, people like to drink, so I options more, you know, beer taps, wine on tap and, of course, games, um, like shuffleboard and things like that darts I love a good bar that is like dreams, you know, then that's something like I would absolutely love to do that's really.

Brian: 8:46

That's very good, very smart too. It's very self-aware as we just talked about recently, but being very self-aware of where you are. But yeah, yeah, I mean this has been great.

Shawna: 8:56

Oh, thank you, I've had a great time.

Brian: 8:58

Yes, we've enjoyed it. We've had a blast. Thank you again for joining us Everybody. Thank you for tuning in. If you've enjoyed the podcast, make sure you click that review. It helps other people find out about your local podcast. Thanks for listening, neighbor.