Good Grape Wine Company

September 28 2006

The Third Place

Starbucks has popularized and capitalized on the notion that humans seek a third gathering place—a third pillar to the three-legged stool that already includes home and work.

The death of the popularity of legion halls after our eldest living generation grew older gave way to the country clubs and community pools of the Baby-Boomer generation which has given way to the transitional wi-fi third-place spots like Starbucks for Gen. X, Y and the business set.

I’ve often thought that with the growing popularity of wine as a shared affinity beverage amongst legions of twenty-something’s, this would/should give way to a casual wine bar—a wine bar that wasn’t so much a restaurant or a Tapas joint--concepts that are in vogue these days, but instead a sort of retail environment where you could sit back, relax and have a conversation, or browse a book.

So, it was with curiosity that I read an article in the current issue of Food and Wine that highlighted a newer New York City wine shop called Passanella and Son that is a cross of bohemian chic shop with a small, eclectic mix of boutique wines. The article quotes the proprietor, Marco Pasanella, as saying the following regarding his shop:

It’s really a neighborhood shop. It feels very comfortable and very sophisticated but welcoming. There’s this third-place phenomenon, where you have home, you have work and you this other place, where people want to hang out. The shop is basically some people’s third place. Last night, I basically had to kick people out—“Guys, you can’t hang out here anymore, you’ve got to go home. I need to walk the dog.”

Interesting that a wine shop would be able to key in on the gathering phenomena, though, if the pictures in the magazine are accurate, the shop, replete with a 1967 Ferrari in the middle of the store, is a place you’d want to hang out at. And, assuredly Marco is probably a pretty hospitable host with an interesting, personal and authentic place.

On the other side, less neighborhood and independent, is PJ’s Coffee and Wine, a franchise concept that is starting to make some penetration in the Southeast, with roots in Atlanta, GA. You can check out PJ’s site here. Interesting thatAtlanta is also home to another concept that is hews closer to the aforementioned tapas restaurant deal called The Grape—a combo wine bar and retail concept.

Overall, I continue to be skeptical of franchise concepts for consumer based wine shops and tasting bars. The fact is people that frequent those places are looking for wine that is unique and interesting and a franchise just doesn’t afford an authentic environment to buy an authentic wine. Because of this, I think the overall experience for a customer is incongruent—it might work once or twice, but I’m doubtful that it would instill customer loyalty.

Though, Marco’s place on the other hand seems like a darn fine third place. No death to the independent wine retailer, that’s for sure. And, Pasannella and
Son, a third place, maybe, but probably #1 in the hearts of a lot of New York City wine lovers.

The challenge, then, is for existing wine specialty retailers in places other then NYC to pick up the ball and rethink their concepts to fulfill this emerging niche!

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