When I need a decanter, charms for my stems (wine glass stems!) or any like-minded product I go on the Internet and search. Sometimes I happen upon something I like at one of our local wine bars too.
So, on this day, as I’m diligently ‘researching’ corkscrews for my upcoming gig (September 28 at Valencia Wine Company from 4-8 pm, “Watch Eve Try and work in a wine bar for charity…) I came across this for my wine aficionados and wine 101ers alike:
And this:
So take a few moments to kick off your shoes, put on your slippers, pour a glass of wine, and browse the quality items on our site.
How did this guy know that I like to have a glass of wine and shop from home at the same time? And, since he doesn’t know me does this mean…there are more like us?
So I do the next thing…like a cagey Peeping Tom…I want to see who the guy behind this site is. I find the ‘Dear John’ section but dang, that’s just a bunch of people telling him how great he is for having such, you guessed it, great stuff. I delve further:
BarParts.com is located in Santa Clarita, 661-297-8474, FAX: 661-297-7802, Email: [email protected]. That’s when I stealthily moved in ON THIS LOCAL for my 5-question interview:
1. Dear John, do you ever come to local wine events to enjoy wine and/or show your wares?
“No, Eve, I do most of my wine drinking at home. But I do need to get out there more! But even if I did it’s not my style to bring wine accessories to sell at a store or rent a table at a wine event. If you want to find me you just have to go shopping on the Internet.”
2. Why did you start this business?
“In 1996 I ended my business making window coverings, with the Getty Museum being my last hurrah, and wanted to try my hand at something else. Then one day while strolling through a medieval festival in Newhall Park, I spied someone selling wine bottles with little tuxedos on them. With that in my head I went home and made something a little different that also would cover the top of the bottles: Monk robes. White ones for white wine, black ones for red wine.
Still not sure what this would turn into I started visiting winery tasting rooms and showing them around. I enjoyed traveling up and down the coast meeting people and they liked my little monks. Then I met ‘Frank’ who runs a very successful commercial wine accessory business. At first he thought my monks wouldn’t sell but, after having to give them away to people that saw them on his desk, he thought he better carry them.
Then one day I noticed that Frank didn’t display prices – he explained to me that would pit him against his 10,000 customers. That’s when I got the idea to be a wine accessory retailer and display my prices instead of selling them to a commercial business.”
3. I know that you are on Facebook under your full name, John Carter, are you planning a Fan Page there also?
“It’s already up! Go join! Tell your readers to join and invite friends: BarParts. As the only wine accessory retailer in Santa Clarita, like you being the SCV wine blogger, we’ve got to get the word out!”
“The rewards and challenges go hand in hand. It’s a challenge for me to go out and mingle and meet people at first, but I have come to find that the people I meet ARE the reward. I have not met a person that drinks wine that I didn’t like in the 10 years that I’ve had my business.
Also, a challenge I’ve turned into a reward happens if a customer returns an item they find faulty – I take notice. When another does the same, I stop carrying that item. A happy customer returns to me again and again. With that kind of service it’s not surprising to see my business, even in this economy, continue to grow. And I thank my customers for that as well.”
5. How many free wine bags did you bring me today?
“My warehouse isn’t located in Santa Clarita – just me. So I’ll just have to say, to anyone that wants to shop, ‘Have you gone to my site today?’”
SCV Wine Calendar this week:
Friday September 11: Honor those that serve & protect, auction, appetizers, wine at the Paseo Club 7:30-10pm. Catherine Sjolund: 661-254-3255 [email protected]. Hyatt Regency Valencia HAPPY HOUR Monday thru Friday 4-7pm with all drinks $2.00 off regular price and a great menu too! Live Music with Jim Mooney Band ACU 7:30-10:30 at All Corked Up (ACU) 7:30-10:30, Happy Hour at Wine 661 from 4-7pm he stay for live music from Echo Hill at 8:30pm, Courtyard by Marriott Santa Clarita (CM) $1.00 Drink Specials and free Sangria every night but Sunday CM 5-7pm, The Social Happy Hour 4-6pm.
Saturday September 12: Michael Hoefflin Foundation: Evening Under the Stars at Mann Biomedical Park 6-10pm, dinner, dancing, auction, www.mgf.org, 661-250-4100. The Palmdale Jazz and Wine Festival with Jazz, Wine and Food! Norman Brown, Euge Groove and Richard Smith are scheduled to appear. Palmdale Amphitheater at Marie Kerr Park, 2723 Rancho Vista Blvd 3-10pm, www.cityofpalmdale.org/jazz. Wine & Diamonds 7-9pm at Wine 661 “Enjoy amazing wines from all over the world while you shop for stunning, one-of-a-kind diamond pieces of all kinds.” Live Music with Thom Teresi Band ACU 7:30-10:30, $1.00 Drink Specials and free Sangria every night but Sunday CM 5-7pm.
Sunday September 13: Buy one glass of wine and receive the next for half price all day VWC, Lee’s Stimulus Package: buy one glass of wine and get the second for 5 cents Lee’s Wine Bistro Sundays and Mondays only, $10 Mimosas Wine 661 from 12-5pm and unlimited Champagne at Salt Creek Grille Sunday Jazz Brunch.
Monday September 14: Hyatt Regency Valencia HAPPY HOUR Monday thru Friday 4-7pm with all drinks $2.00 off regular price and a great menu too! Lee’s Stimulus Package: buy one glass of wine and get the second for 5 cents Lee’s Wine Bistro Sundays and Mondays only, Half Price bottle night on any wine under $100 at Salt Creek Grille, buy one glass of wine and receive the next for half price all day VWC, $3.50 flights at Vino 100, $1.00 Drink Specials and free Sangria every night but Sunday CM 5-7pm, Ladies Night at Wine 661 from 2-11pm and Happy Hour at 4-7pm.
Tuesday, September 15: Hyatt Regency Valencia HAPPY HOUR Monday thru Friday 4-7pm with all drinks $2.00 off regular price and a great menu too! Complimentary meat and cheese appetizer with the purchase of a glass of wine VWC 5-8pm, Happy Hour The Social 4-6pm, Half Off Top 10 Cocktails Salt Creek Grille 5-9pm, 40% off all bottles of wine at Wolf Creek, $1 tasting flight when you purchase a bottle at Vino 100 4-7pm, $1.00 Drink Specials and free Sangria every night but Sunday CM 5-7pm, Happy Hour 1/2 price appetizers with two glasses of wine Vintner’s Cellar (VC) 4:30-6:30pm and Happy Hour at Wine 661 from 4-7pm.
Wednesday, September 16: Wine Tasting: Aussie Wines from Layer Cake, Mollydooker & Peter Lehman ACU 6-8pm, Hyatt Regency Valencia HAPPY HOUR Monday thru Friday 4-7pm with all drinks $2.00 off regular price and a great menu too! 30% off all bottles of Whites and Sparkling on Wednesdays, Reds on Thursdays at Maru Sushi on Towne Center Drive, Wine experts pouring & Piano Bar every Wednesday at Bella Cucina Venetian on the Old Road 7-9pm, Bike Night with Drink & bar-b-que specials, live band and raffle at Route 66 Classic Grill until October, Wine-down Wednesday at Salt Creek Grille where wines are discounted by the glass, $1.00 Drink Specials and free Sangria every night but Sunday CM 5-7pm, Happy Hour 1/2 price appetizers with two glasses of wine VC 4:30-6:30pm and Happy Hour at Wine 661 from 4-7pm.
Thursday September 17: This is the first Third Thursdays Art Walk in Old Town Newhall. Leona Valley Winery will pour at Capelli Salon, The Rep Theatre has Engleman Cellars and more wine at The Theatre Guild and at Cookbooks Plus…Good wine for tasting all night! Hyatt Regency Valencia HAPPY HOUR Monday thru Friday 4-7pm with all drinks $2.00 off regular price and a great menu too! Half Off Grey Goose Cocktails Salt Creek Grille 5-9pm, 30% off all bottles of Whites and Sparkling on Wednesdays, Reds on Thursdays at Maru Sushi on Towne Center Drive, Bristol Farm’s new weekly wine and food tasting 6-8pm, free cigar w/wine VWC, Cavi Cucino no corkage, The Social Happy Hour 4-6pm, $1.00 Drink Specials and free Sangria every night but Sunday CM 5-7pm, 1/2 price appetizers with two glasses of wine VC 4:30-6:30pm and Happy Hour at Wine 661 from 4-7pm.
Your special event with wine not listed? Easy to correct: [email protected]
Eve Bushman- commentary
Eve Bushman is a local writer that specializes in writing about wine. You can find great articles by Eve on her blog at http://www.evewine101.blogspot.com or email her at [email protected]. Her commentaries represent her own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization she may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon. She is also now on Facebook!
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