Vino Vero - Part 3: Wine, Breaks, and Beach Town Magic

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What happens when a wine shop owner decides to close up shop and take a much-needed break? Dana from Vino Vero Beach reveals the surprising benefits of stepping away from your business, even when conventional wisdom says you shouldn't.

Taking us behind the scenes of her Vero Beach wine shop, Dana shares her journey of prioritizing family connections and personal well-being after running her business nonstop since purchasing it. Her candid insights about balancing business ownership with life's important moments offer a valuable perspective for entrepreneurs everywhere. "I can't let it run my life or let stuff that really matters kind of float by," she reflects, after realizing she hadn't seen her brother's family since her father's funeral.

Dana paints a vivid picture of life in a seasonal beach town, where the rhythms of business flow with the arrival and departure of winter residents. From the challenges of parking during peak season to the community spirit that emerged during the 2024 storm, her stories capture the unique character of Vero Beach. Wine lovers will appreciate her unpretentious approach to wine education and her perfect beach town recommendation: bubbles on the beach with charcuterie. For newcomers intimidated by wine culture, Dana offers reassuring advice: "Just say 'I know nothing, but I'm curious' - that's all you have to say."

Looking toward the future, Dana reveals she's taking a measured approach to growth despite opportunities to expand. Having only transitioned from a retail shop to a wine bar a year ago, she's focused on enhancing the community experience with potential additions, such as games and more beverage options. Follow Dana's journey on Instagram @VinoVeroBeach and discover why sometimes the best thing for your business is taking care of yourself first.

Presented by Killer Bee Marketing
Helping local businesses in Vero Beach connect with their neighbors.

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Episode Transcript

Brian (00:00):
All right, welcome back to the Vero Beach podcast.
This is part three here withDana from Vino Vero.
But before we get started, I'vegot like I've had this note
made to talk to you about and Itotally forgot it's probably the
red wine.

Shawna (00:13):
So it's your fault.

Brian (00:14):
But let's go back and I want to talk about like
something that I remember whenwe were scheduling the podcast
and you kind of hinted a littlebit around it at the beginning
about how sometimes, even thoughyou're supposed to be open,
you're not open.
When we came in here to to havesome wine and met some of the
people here in the community,you told us that you're getting
ready to take a break and somepeople were like, oh, you

(00:35):
shouldn't, like you can't dothat, like it's too early, you
can't be doing that.
I don't know what all I toldyou, but I've heard it before.
Obviously I'm thinking she tooka break because she needed to
rest and she needed to rechargewhich.
I feel like is some of the mostimportant things that we need to
do as business owners.

Shawna (00:50):
As people in general, as people in general.

Brian (00:53):
Yes, you're right.
Tell me a little about that,because you just got back right,
you just reopened, you took abreak.
So tell us a little bit aboutyour break why you took that
break and why you feel like thatwas important.

Shawna (01:04):
Yes, it was a two week break, which first came from the
fact that I haven't seen mybrother or my niece or my
sister-in-law.
It's not been forever, but it'sbeen a year, and the last time
I saw him it was at my dad'sfuneral.
But, having the shop andbusiness, I've literally not
taken any breaks since I boughtit out because I'm the only
employee you know, I don't haveanyone that can jump in and work

(01:26):
a shift here and there, so it'sjust me, and I hadn't kind of
let myself and maybe that's whyI woke up and I was like, oh my
gosh, I need to see family.
I need to do these thingsbecause, at the end of the day,
what I have here is really funand great, but I can't let it
run my life and or let likestuff that really matters kind
of float by.
I originally started as that andthen the timing wise just

(01:49):
worked out that I had somefriends.
It was really cool.
Two of my interns that I hiredat 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 wasapprehensive to take, which

(02:10):
you're totally right.

Brian (02:11):
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 thelove for the community, you
taking that break is actuallybeneficial for the community too
because it re-energizes you aswell.
As a local business owner Likeyou need that and it's important
because it brings it,re-energizes you to bring that

(02:32):
life back into the business andrunning Vino Vero.

Shawna (02:36):
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 meanthat is pretty funny that there
is like a time when everyone cando that and then other times
it's very obvious like nobodytakes break.
Yeah, exactly.

Brian (02:53):
You know I love that too.
You just brought up theseasonal town, so let's talk
about that for a second.
What is, what is that time foryou Like?
What do you see like from thehistory?
And then and then also, how canthe community support you
during that time?

Shawna (03:04):
It is very obvious.
But I also feel like it'sgetting less and less drastic,
because I think more people arecoming to stay full year, Like
they really are falling in lovewith it.
A lot of people are moving heremore permanently but a lot of
people are like, oh God, thesnowbirds are coming and I'm
like, yes, let's bring it on.
Yes, cha-ching, but also likeit's bring it on Cha-ching, yes,

(03:24):
cha-ching, but also like it'sjust so fun.
There's like so many people intown visiting and like you're
here in a cute little beach town.
Most of the time people arehappy.
Yes, it's busy, parking is abitch.
I will request that Vero Beachdoes something for the business
owners about parking, becausemoving my car when I have people
in here is really hard.
That's just like a one littletidbit, but I that's how I can

(03:47):
be helped is is figuring outsomething for that.
So, anyway, it's great business.
It's people that are exploringor visiting family and it really
does turn on like traffic iscrazy, parking is crazy, but
it's also super fun and like waymore stuff is going on.
In the winter it's moretemperate, like I think we all
look forward to it.

Brian (04:05):
When do you see that switch what month?

Shawna (04:06):
Thanksgiving for me, like November yeah.

Brian (04:09):
Yeah, there's a slowdown like around September.
Yeah.

Shawna (04:13):
Pretty much.
What I've noticed is my slowesttimes, I think is August and
September.

Brian (04:18):
Okay, now we're going to get to Vero Beach.

Shawna (04:20):
Thank you guys all for handling it.

Brian (04:21):
Oh, this town, yeah.
So what do you love most aboutthis town?
I?

Shawna (04:25):
do.
I love the little laid backbeach town vibe, but it's got
this like kind of air about it.
We're not just like a sleepybeach town.
There's a lot of really coollike culture and history.
That's very small but it'sthere.
I love that.
The people really lovesupporting their local
businesses.
It's so fun, so cute.
It's very unique.
Everyone's very excited to talkto all the other people that

(04:48):
aren't from here about how cooltheir 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 likeinducted, even if you're yeah,
it's like it takes a little time, but people really do kind of
come together here and there'sjust a lot of fun stuff to do.
I think it's just got like suchgreat energy and a really cool

(05:10):
community that wants to helpeach other.
That was really easy to seeduring the storm and the tornado
last year.
Just I was like came back towork and was trying to get this
going, but hearing about all thepeople like I don't know, just
out walking around theirneighborhood helping other
people, like I feel like thatdoes hopefully happen everywhere
.
But it is really cool to see ina really small, very affluent

(05:32):
beach town, Like people reallydo care about each other quite a
bit and it showed during thattime when it comes to wine,
you're talking about differentpairings.

Brian (05:39):
So what's your favorite Vero Beach wine pairing
experience?

Shawna (05:44):
It could be a cheesy answer, but what I found myself
drinking more of like it's stuffthat's going to drink well on a
beach and that just turns outto be bubbles, I guess, and that
, I don't know, might be alittle cliche sounding, but a
pairing I mean being on thebeach with some charcuterie and
a nice little dry bottle ofbubbles Like that sounds really

(06:05):
perfect and very Vero.
So yeah, I'm going to say thatBubbles of any sort, I mean
champagne.
I always have a mean champagneselection, but then, for the
easier on the pocketbook,there's always a myriad of
different bubbles.

Brian (06:18):
This has been great.
We've enjoyed sitting down withyou and having all these
conversations.
If someone is intimidated bywine, what's your encouragement
or approach to helping them comeand explore it?

Shawna (06:31):
Ooh, to help them.
I mean, even if it's not withme, 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'swith anything in this world that
you can just state I don't knowmuch about this, but I'm
curious.
I guess an easy way I hate tosay it, but a really easy entry
into wine is bubbles If you'rereally intimidated and you're

(06:53):
okay with a little carbonationgoodness like I've converted so
many beer drinkers to winethrough bubbles.
So yes there's always someoneout there, a friend or an
acquaintance, that is a winedrinker, so latching onto a
friend.
But honestly, I always lovewhen people come into my store.
I will, yes, I absolutely loveit when someone comes in and

(07:13):
says I know nothing.

Brian (07:14):
What's the best way for people to connect with you?

Shawna (07:16):
Best way, honestly, is Instagram.
You can just message me onInstagram.
So it's at Vino Vero Beach.

Brian (07:23):
Well, this is.
This has been a great, greatconversation.
I'm going to leave you with onemore question, Dana what's your
vision for the future of VinoVero?

Shawna (07:33):
Oh, this is a very hot topic right now.
In my life I've thought andI've had I've been approached
many to expand, which would besuper fun and totally crazy and
not out of my MO of doingsomething impulsive and nutty.
However, that's not going tohappen.
For a little while I justreally kind of want to.
I mean, I've only been pouringwine at the shop.

(07:54):
I've only turned from a retailshop to a wine bar.
It'll be a year in November, soI have only have a year under
my belt to kind of see how thatwent for me.
And it's already shown thatit'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, ofcourse, games, um, like

(08:26):
shuffleboard and things likethat darts I love a good bar
that is like dreams, you know,then that's something like I
would absolutely love to dothat's really.

Brian (08:34):
That's very good, very smart too.
It's very self-aware as we justtalked about recently, but
being very self-aware of whereyou are.
But yeah, yeah, I mean this hasbeen great.

Shawna (08:45):
Oh, thank you, I've had a great time.

Brian (08:46):
Yes, we've enjoyed it.
We've had a blast.
Thank you again for joining usEverybody.
Thank you for tuning in.
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