How long have you been here?

It is amazing to be a part of the community of Howard/Suamico that absolutely feels like home. Our humble beginnings started with a banner hung from the top of the windows indicating a wine bar coming soon. Many people stopped by to peek in to see what was going on inside. Walls were being removed and added, Wine shelfs being built and secured. Floors cut and lines run to support the front of house operations. Staff was hired and training began two plus weeks out from our opening. We gathered around with folding chairs and no tables to discuss our plans on how to serve, and serve well, the future customers of The Bottle Room. Mock scenarios, lots of how to lessons and some sampling of the soon to be products that would define our brand. From dips and pizzas to wine and beer, we made sure the product met our standards. We made sure our staff was prepared to give the best experience they could to our guests. Then we opened.

I am pretty sure all of us lost about 10 lbs that opening weekend. We stumbled on some things, our ticket times for getting food out timely were not what we wanted, but we had an interest by the community far beyond our wildest beliefs. With that came the inspiration to always improve to make that experience even better. Some staff had to be let go and some moved on to further their careers. One thing stayed, our vision to bring a nice quality product in an enjoyable atmosphere with exceptional service. 

Today we have some very amazing staff. Our hosts, bar backs, chefs, bartenders, musicians and servers come from the community in all walks of life. They provide the foundation that sets the service standard for The Bottle Room. They are lead by two fantastic managers that provide support and guidance in our service endeavor. It is a wonderful place to be as far as workers and managers are concerned. 

We also have an awesome community of fantastic people that create the other aspect of The Bottle Room. The guests that fill the room with laughter and smiles. Some have almost become family and others just passing through. They also provide us with stories that fill the air with history. From engagements, to family reunions, long lost friends re-uniting and breaking that special news to loved ones. The Bottle Room has established itself as a mix of staff and guests that truly have an affinity to happily move through life and forget about any worries. Even if it is just for a few hours. 

The Bottle Room started as a vision on a backyard patio deck. Just two people, that were newlyweds. They wanted to create a place that brought people together, treated them, staff and guests, with kindness, and put smiles on their faces through amazing experiences. The day before opening in 2012, looking at the beautifully lit establishment in the darkness, we had a thought,"We sure hope this place makes people happy".

The Bottle Room has lived up to that vision. The stories are endless. The smiles go miles. The laughter. The food. The wine. So many amazing friendships. And it feels like it all happened in the blink of an eye. 

So how long have we been here?  12.5 years. Almost to the day in which the idea was born, on a newly married couples backyard deck. 

j+c