Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Eisele, owner of Cork & Cap Bottle Shoppe in Aiken, SC.
Hi Erin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My husband, James, and I created the overall concept for Cork & Cap on our first date nearly 10 years ago! Since then, we have continued to dream of working together to open a space that champions the winemakers, artisans, and producers that represent the values we believe in—high quality, taste, sustainability, and soul.
After spending a spring weekend visiting family in Aiken—where I grew up, and where James had two tours as a wine rep—we both realized that while Aiken had several places to buy wine, they didn’t have an actual wine shop. And the more we thought about it, the more we asked, “Why not us?”
And so, with some help from friends and family—and not a little trepidation—we signed a lease at a lovingly restored cottage with plenty of outdoor space and got to work.
Now over a year later, Cork and Cap is becoming more than a wine shop, it’s becoming a downtown destination. With ample outdoor space outfitted with Biergarten tables and rocking chairs on the front porch, people come to Cork & Cap for wine and dine nights, tastings, seminar-style workshops, or simply to kick back and relax over a good bottle of wine with friends.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like any small business, we’ve had to navigate our share of challenges. But most of our storm clouds have had silver linings. We didn’t get the first property we made an offer on, but this turned out to be a huge blessing, in that it led us to the yellow cottage that our customers love so much. We also like to focus on wine producers from smaller import portfolios, and we weren’t sure how many of them would be willing to deliver to us in Aiken. Thankfully, nearly all of them have found ways to accommodate us, and we are able to fill our shelves with a selection as diverse and dynamic as any big city bottle shop.
Finally, because Aiken has never seen a business like this before, we had no way of gauging how we’d be received. Would people even show up? Would they be turned off by having to learn a new way of shopping for wine? But it turns out people were as eager to embrace our model as we were to open it. We can’t adequately express how welcome we’ve felt, or how fulfilling it has been to see customers get excited about wines that have never been sold in this market before.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are first and foremost a retail shop. We specialize in harder-to-find artisan wineries, and small, largely local craft breweries. That’s not to say you’ll never see familiar producers on our shelves; however, we feel that the “big boys” already have an adequate footprint in the market, and so we focus on highlighting the efforts of smaller, family-owned enterprises.
What probably most sets us apart is that we are a retail store, but have an on-premise permit. That is to say, we have the same alcohol license that a restaurant would have, and can therefore serve alcohol on our premises. While we harbor zero aspirations towards becoming a full-fledged bar or restaurant, we still wanted to find a way to celebrate the intersection of food and wine, and do it in a way flexible and dynamic enough to work during times where people are anxious about eating or drinking in a public place. We wanted to build a resilience into our model that could adapt to a marketplace that has been permanently changed by the events of the last couple years. But we also just wanted to offer a fun accent to the retail experience.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I suppose if there’s anything we’d want to convey to potential customers who haven’t visited us yet, it’s that we have something for everyone who enjoys good wine and beer. You don’t have to be prepared to spend half a paycheck, and you don’t have to worry that you’ll be scoffed at if you don’t know how to articulate exactly what you want the first time. That’s why *we’re* here! Our literal job is to help you figure out what you like, not to make you feel bad about not knowing all the minute details of our specific industry. So, whether you’re a seasoned wine collector who has traveled to every major producing region in the world or someone who just had your first glass at a party last week and now wants to know more, we are here to meet you where you are.
Contact Info:
- Email: shopcorkandcap@gmail.com
- Website: shopcorkandcap.com
Image Credit:
the row of bottles is by Phil Eich.
twinkle lights is by Meghann Padget
