Ideally, a wine shop is a place you want to spend some time, and also one that leaves an imprint. In that respect, design can be as important a factor as selection and service. These are the stores that make finding the right wine easy and take your breath away when you walk in.
The Bodega at Champagne Champagne
Orcas Island, WA
champagnechampagne.me/bodega
Shop Owners Amelia Carver and Brian Crum were planning to farm in Washington’s San Juan Islands, but they fell in love with a crumbling building near the ferry pier. Now, that building is their wine bar, Champagne Champagne, and this shop, run out of the window of what was an ice cream store. Blackboards in front tell customers what bottles are available.
Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit
New York City
bottlerocket.com
Bright and spacious, with prominent signs pointing customers to categories like white, red and critics’ picks, the most clever element in this store is islands that organize wines by recommended food pairing. You can easily grab wine for poultry, pasta, takeout and more.
Learn more about the thought process behind wine shop design at winemag.com/WineShopDesign
Park Avenue Fine Wines
Portland, OR
parkavenuewines.com
For such a large shop, Park Avenue Fine Wines feels incredibly homey and cozy. A retro sign welcomes you into the exposed-brick space, where wood shelves warm up and soften the industrial vibe. The overall effect is to invite you to come in and browse for a while.
The Royce Detroit
Detroit
theroycedetroit.com
This wine shop/bar pays homage to the city’s architectural history by blending industrial and Art Deco esthetics into its design. A cozy lofted lounge gives you a view of the bar below.
Silverlake Wine
Los Angeles
silverlakewine.com
If organization and minimalism make your heart soar, so will this bright, high-ceilinged shop. Blonde wood shelves create hypnotic rows with plenty of space to move between. Built in a former video store, the shop’s restrooms are where adult films once were. Visit the newer Arts District location for the same look, but with a colorful mural in back.
