Are any folks on this board running a wine bar/retail hybrid?
I am working on a business plan in this space and would love to pick some brains if there are folks out there.
I realize that all concept are a little bit different, and state and local laws are a significant impact (this would be in Chicago), but would love the opportunity for some existing wisdom anyway!
Where are you now in this journey? This post got buried under others since January.
Still working on it. Business plan and concept developed.
Scoping locations… but we have a very narrow focus and nothing great available right now. Also likely will require zoning changes. Chicago is complicated.
There was a place in the town next to us called Rosie’s Wine Bar, part wine store and part restaurant. You could pull a bottle off the shelf and have it with your meal, they added a nominal mark up for that
Let me know when you open 
gives me an excuse to visit my brother and drink wine!