EAST PROVIDENCE – A new tasting room is in the works in the Rumford neighborhood, where the owners of the negociant business behind the Anchor & Hope Wine brand are building out on their craft wine import and distilling operation.
Since launching their business in 2018, Enotap LLC co-owners Marissa Stashenko and James Davids have expanded their customer base from restaurants to include the general public. The next step, they say, is bringing the public to them.
“Throughout all of this, the biggest question we get from people is, ‘Do you have a tasting room?’” Stashenko said. Eventually, this expansion seemed like the natural next step for the business.
Until now, Enotap has worked with small wine-growers to package products for distribution, and also makes its own wines.
While this production will continue at Enotap’s facility in Phillipsdale Landing, the owners are reconstructing their space to accommodate a 4,000-square feet tasting room area, in addition to a patio area for outdoor seating.
Stashenko and Davids launched their business with a focus on selling wine in kegs — a more environmentally-friendly packaging options than bottles, Stashenko said. About 26 bottles-worth of wine can fit into a keg, which limits the amount of packaging needed.
While selling by the keg worked well for restaurants, which were the business’ primary focus at the time, COVID-19 shutdowns prompted Stashenko and Davids to pivot to selling bottled and canned wines. In stores, the business sells under the brand name Anchor & Hope Wine.
Before launching Enotap, Stashenko and Davids ran a winery in California for 10 years.
The business is in the process of securing a $99,000 loan from the East Providence Economic Development Commission, which recently approved Enotap’s loan application request. Stashenko and Davids also plan to launch a fundraising campaign that allows supporters to be paid back over time.
The business’ location on the banks of the Seekonk River makes the current space a natural fit for a tasting room, Stashenko said, and having a brick and mortar location will allow the business to grow their brand and encourage customers to try less common wine varieties.
“In a tasting room you’re more likely to try something new,” Stashenko said. Currently, “Our only way to connect with customers is through in-store tasting, social media and events,” she added, “which is great, but that’s limiting.”
While wine will remain the core of the operation, Stashenko and Davids hope to offer amenities such as a cheese shop and café, as well as events, to appeal to a wider audience and draw people to a location that’s “a little bit off the beaten path,” Stashenko said.
“The idea is to have it not be just a wine tasting room,” she added. “We want this to be more like a community space.”
While the project’s timeline is still uncertain, Stashenko said the tasting room could open as early as next fall.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Voghel@PBN.com.
