Editorial

"Social franchise" makes shopping for wine a sensory experience

By taking the mystery out of choosing a wine, WineStyles has made shopping for wine an experience as easy as buying a pair of gloves.

“Our research,” says Bob Florio, COO of WineStyles, a Franchise business out of Margate , Florida , “shows us that a large number of consumers are intimidated by the selection of wine. They are concerned that they will choose a wine and then not like the taste. Their second worry is that they’ll try to choose a nice wine as a gift and will overspend, hoping that a higher price will equate to a better quality wine.”

Those are just some of the issues that WineStyles tries to address. The first thing you’ll notice upon entering a shop is that their stores are not overwhelming like the cavernous liquor warehouses. They are not overcrowded boxes like your neighborhood liquor store. WineStyles stores are built to look like an old-world wine cellar but with a bright and upscale ambiance.

The second major difference is that, “all of our wines have been tasted and hand-picked by our wine department. That means that for every 30 or so wines they taste, only two are approved for sale in our stores,” says Florio.

“Our philosophy is that good wine is not necessarily expensive wine; it’s the wine you enjoy. The majority of the wine we sell falls into the $9 to $25 range,” says Florio, “and these are very drinkable, enjoyable wines.”

But one of the most startling differences between a WineStyles store and any other wine shop is the way the wine is organized. Instead of grouping wines by region, wines are displayed by taste. “We have three categories of white wine: crisp, silky and rich. Once a customer knows which she prefers, it makes choosing a wine much easier. Red wines are categorized by fruity, mellow and bold. Two other classifications are bubbly and If you Insist, for higher-priced items.”

WineStyles has been in business since 2000 and has been Franchising since 2003. They have 113 operating units with over 60 units in development. “We grow our business through the area developer model,” says Florio. “The area developer will buy a county or two or even an entire state and then will develop the territory and also run a model store. This is advantageous for many reasons, one of which is that the area developer is always available to help each franchisee. Another is that the model store provides hands-on training while the franchisee is learning the business.”

Initial training for franchisees is provided at the headquarters in Margate and includes operations, wine tasting and field training at the corporate store. WineStyles also has a full-time real estate developer on staff to help with site location.

“Our marketing is different than most businesses,” says Florio. “We’ve found that 65-70% o wine purchasers are women. Our target demographic is 35-55 but we’ve also discovered that there is a secondary market among the 25-34 age group, who are wiling to spend a premium for alcoholic beverages. To attract these audiences, we have several effective strategies.

“Each store holds frequent wine tasting events. It’s a great social event but it also lets the customer discover what she likes in a wine,” says Florio. “Another way we find our customers is by providing wine club memberships. Each store has a club and we currently have over 12,000 wine club members. A membership provides two bottles of wine monthly as well as discounts on wine purchases, and various activities.”

WineStyles has partnered with Share Our Strength, a nonprofit charity that fights childhood hunger in the U.S. Share Our Strength, which pioneered the concept of the Taste of the Nation fund raiser where a variety of chefs get together to provide dinner for charity donors, found WineStyles a natural partner for at least two reasons. First, the WineStyles’ customer and the nonprofit donor share the same demographic. Second, by pairing wine with the dinners, the events become even more popular.

“This is social franchising,” says Florio. “Share Our Strength is now buying WineStyles Franchises to make a profit, which is then funneled to the charity.” The pairing is synergistic. WineStyles gets more franchisees, more royalties and more exposure and Share Our Strength creates a new revenue stream.

Wines available at a WineStyles store are balanced between the old word (such as France , Germany and Italy ) and new world selections (from the U.S. , Australia , and South Africa ). Some wines are produced just for sale in a WineStyles store and others may only be available in certain regions, particularly wine from small producers. This adds to the boutique feel of each store.

WineStyles is looking for potential franchisees who are passionate about business and about wine. “You don’t need to be a wine connoisseur,” says Florio, “because your training will cover wine appreciation, but being both enthusiastic and resourceful will make you a better franchisee.” WineStyles are currently open in about 21 states and there are still many available territories. “We have little franchise competition in our business,” says Florio, “and we work with franchisees to fulfill the obligations of each state’s licensing departments.”

If you are looking for something different, a WineStyles franchise could be just what you want. “Our stores provide a wonderful, sensory experience for the consumer,” says Florio, “with a beautiful, upscale look and great wines to taste. People shopping for wine have as much fun in the search as they do drinking the wines. A franchisee will need few employees and will receive superior support every step of the way.”

If you’ve always had a yen for owning your own retail business but want something truly unique with a fun and fashionable clientele, you may find that WineStyles fits you like a glove.