3Dimage006 Discuss,

Publishe= d by the Lakeland

Community Redevelopment Agency (LCRA)

February 2010

Detail, Dixieland

Dixieland Business Profile

We took some time to sit down with Richard DeAngelis (with a glass of wine, of course), owner and operator of the Red Door Wine Market, one of the Dixieland CRA’s newest businesses.

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How long has y= our business been in the Dixieland Community Redevelopment Area and why did= you choose this property?

We opened in D= ecember 2009. I’m a resident of the South Lake Morton Neighborhood = and was really looking for a space that was accessible and convenient for me and my family. I envisioned a business that was not only “in” a neighborhood, but that would be embraced and adopted “by” the neighborhood.

How would you = describe your business?

When I thought= about my interests and the kind of business I wanted to open, I really wanted= a generational business that I could run and pass on to my kids and that = was more than just about me. I wanted a business that was about and embraced by the community.

Our tag line is “Doing the Impossible: Groovy Wine Shop by Day, Funky Wine Bar= by Night”. The business really is designed to be primarily= a retail shop for wine with a wine tasting/wine bar component. We a= lso serve a very limited food menu including fresh hummus, a Mediterranean olive mix, a cheese plate, and fresh breads. For special events, = we fire up the pizza oven and serve homemade “event pizza” (Author’s Note: more on this in a minute).<= /p>

In addition, w= e have a number of microbrews on tap, as well as fresh coffee and non-alcoholic beverages. The shop and the site are also intended to be used for special events and private catered gatherings.

Tell us a litt= le bit about your pricing.

We specialize = in small production wines from all over the globe. We also recognize that expensive wines are not always better wines, so we carry over 20 differ= ent wines which are all under $10.00 per bottle. In addition, 70% of = our wine inventory is priced between $12.00 and $20.00 per bottle.

It pains me to= go to a restaurant and see people charging $12.00 for a glass of wine. In our s= hop, wines by the glass are $4.00, $6.00 or $8.00. If you purchase a bottle to consume on premises, there is a $10 per bottle corkage fee for the first two bottles.

What kind of training/experience do you have in wine and food and what made you choo= se this profession?

I credit my grandparents with cultivating my interest in food – from a young = age I had the opportunity to travel with them and experience fine dining throughout the country. While I have no formal training in culinary art= s, I’ve been a “foodie” since before it was fashionable.=

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Most of what I= know is through work experience. For six years I was with the Chart House= and traveled throughout Florida helping to establish restaurants. The= job required that we do a little bit of everything, so I learned a lot about the restaurant business, but I eventually became the “Wine Guy”. Wine was interesting to me because it was good for chicks- you could impress women with your knowledge and gain access to = some of the finer dining establishments in South Florida.<= /i>

Following my w= ork with Chart House, I worked at Phoenix Restaurant in Melbourne, Florida and I owned my own restaurant, Kipling’s Restaurant. For years I’ve also done catering and special events. In addition, I = am a Certified Sommelier in the Court of the Sommeliers, as well as a certif= ied specialist of wine from the society of Wine Educators.*

While I have an extensive background in wine, I think it’s just as important to m= ake sure that my staff is well-educated and informed. As a result, all staff must participate in the Society of Wine Educators programs in ord= er to provide the best service and information possible to our customers.<= span style=3D'color:blue'>

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What about edu= cation for your customers?

We are providi= ng Wine Confidence courses for our consumers. There are three classes. The first is “Gaining Confidence with Wine” = and is offered three (3) times a month. The class helps people to tas= te more wines and get comfortable identifying and describing wines that th= ey like. The second class is more about beginning to understand what wines from different regions taste like, and how to pair wine with food. The final class is about assessing wines in terms of their value- how much would you pay based on how they taste.

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Who is your ty= pical customer?

72% of restaur= ant choices are made by women. 82% of wine choices are made by women. My typical customer is a well-educated, professional with a strong interest in food and wine.

What are some = of the events that you are currently working on?

Saturday, Febr= uary 13^th is our Official, Unofficial Grand Opening. The official (unoffici= al) event begins at 5:00 pm but the pre-party begins at 10:00 am. We = will have live music, event pizza, and of course, wine. Guests should = plan on parking at our satellite parking lot on S. Tennessee (south of McDonald), at the grass lot owned by St. Joseph’s Academy (east of the shop on the south side of McDonald), and in the parking lot behind Smith, Feddeler, Smith & Miles, PA (after 4:00 pm please). All proceeds from the event will go to the Courtyard Foundation.=

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What is the “Courtyard Foundation”?

It’s my fundraiser to build out the courtyard to accommodate additional outdoor seating.

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Most of the ne= ws today is about the deplorable state of the economy. Why would you buck = the trend and open a business given the current economic climate?

I would say th= at this is the best time to open a business. Consumers are still consumers and people are still buying quality products at good prices.=

Dixieland CRA Boundary Map

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Businesses: 227
Residential Properties: 35

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The Dixieland Community Redevelopment Area is on Facebook.

Become a Fan!

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Follo= w us on Twitter

@DixieCRA

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Check Out the Community Redevelopment Agency Ann= ual Report

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Red Door Wine Market

850 South Tennessee Avenue=

Lakeland, FL 33801
863-937-9314<= /p>

Website: www.reddoorwinemarket.com=

Number of Months in Business: 2

Number of = Months in Dixieland: 2

*The principal work of a sommelier is in the ar= ea of procurement, storage, wine cellar rotation, and to provide ex= pert service to customers. Working along with the culinary team, they = pair and suggest wines that will b= est complement each particular food menu item. This entails the necessity f= or a deep knowledge of how food and wine, beer, spirits and other beverages = work in harmony.

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A= uthor’s Note: “Event Pizza= 221; is truly an event not to miss. Caramelized onions, fresh arugula, roasted garlic, black olives and goat cheese on the most heavenly crispy-chewy crust. So elegant and sophisticated in its flavor combination that it’s a shame to call this merely pizza. If= you have the opportunity, do not miss this event.

Date, Dixieland: Local Event Calendar

Fri, Feb= . 5^th: First Friday, Downtown Lakeland, 6:00-9:00 pm, Downtown Lakeland

Sat, Feb= . 13^th: Artisan Market, <= strong>10:00 am-3:00 pm, McDonald @ Tennessee

Sat, Feb= . 13^th: Red Door Wine Market, Official, Unoffici= al Grand Opening, 5:00-closing, 850 S. Tennessee Avenue

Tues, Fe= b. 16^th: Dixieland CRA Advisory Board Meeting, 4:00-5:30 pm, City Hall

Sat, Feb= . 20^th: Brewz Crewz Craft Beer Festival= , 6:00-9:00 pm, Munn Park, Do= wntown Lakeland=

Sat, Feb= . 20^th: Lecture at The Grass Root, Paul Nison, 7:00-9:00 pm, 1212 S. Florida Avenue

For more information or to post an event, contact the Dixieland CRA.

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Drive, Dixieland

Sidewalk Signs

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= This month's marketing idea comes from the legendary Haight Ashbury shopping district in San Francisco. I found these two icons spray painted = onto the sidewalk several places along the business district. I like this promotion (yes, it's a promotion) for the following reasons.

1= . &n= bsp; It consid= ers the behavior of customers. From research conducted by Paco Underhill (and published in his recent book,&nbs= p;Call of the Mall ), we know that shoppers in outdoor urban shopping districts cast their eyes downward towards the sidewalk when shopping. Why? The pavement may be uneven causing them to trip. So, this promotion is meant to take advantage of this behavior. Knowing th= is, the sidewalk and lower third of a facade become important communication vehicles.

2= . &n= bsp; It can ex= tend the business district and promote more of the commercial corridor's assets (its stores, green spaces and art). By regularly repeating these symbols throughout the business district, you can presc= ribe a shopping experience and cause customers to spend more time in the business district (and consequently improve the likelihood of a sale.)<= o:p>

3= . &n= bsp; It can be= a truly unique and authentic experience that competing commercial corridors cannot or will not be able to duplicate. Creat= e an event - even a game - out of these symbols and you will enable shoppers to spend more time in your district.

4= . &n= bsp; It is an inexpensive promotion. T= hese were done with stencils and spray paint, both of which are inexpensive. If spray painting the sidewalk is illegal or prohibitive, consider doing these images in chalk or some other temporary material.<= o:p>

To do a similar promotion, use our = Eight Point method to plan the promo= tion. Ask yourself:

Customers: How do your customers shop? Hav= e you ever taken time to sit across the street from your shop to observe how = they move through your business district? Watch them come and go and they'll give you clues on how to get their attention.=

Competitors= : How do your competitors capitalize on their shoppers' behaviors? Walk through their stores and shopping cente= rs and watch their shoppers; you'll find ways to compete with or beat them.

Channel Partners: What channel partners can help you?&n= bsp; Is there an art school in your community that would be willing to create the stencils? Are there high school students who would apply the stencil?

Commercial Corridor Assets= : What corridor assets could you tie together with this type of promotion? Consider stores, historic sites, fun places, and public offices.

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Products: If you are trying to promote a specific cl= uster of businesses in your community, why not use an icon that represents th= ose types of businesses? Provide shoppers with a corresponding b= rochure or map and tell them to look for the symbols throughout the business district.

Price: How can you bundle or unbundle products and services to steal market share, encourage potential customers to act, or buy more at the point of purchase?

Place: Where are your customers? Do the= y work close by? Can you get the maps into their workplaces and start the icon trail in their parking lots or outside their front doors?

Promotion: Can you support this promotion with = direct mail? How about conducting a contest to create the icon? Cou= ld you make pins or other decorative items to sell?

Notice your behavior in the groc= ery store the next time you go food shopping. Watch people who look at the ads on the floor. Do they notice and/or read the ad? Do they = look at the corresponding product on the shelf? Be aware of your own behavior. You'll be surprised by the impact these ads have on your behavior.

Market Knowledge helps businesses, nonprofits, communities, and cooperatives identify, define,= and pursue specific markets. Our Eig= ht Point method will give you the market knowled= ge you need to realize your potential.=

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Develop, Dixieland

The Latest CRA Development News, Tips, and Information

Dixieland Alley Improvements

The City of Lakeland’s Constr= uction and Maintenance Division is preparing for an alley improvement project in the Spring of 2010. The alley between Charles St= reet and E. Patterson Street is proposed for improvements intended to increa= se the functionality and appearance of the alley. Improvements inclu= de the installation of brick pavers at the north and south entrances to the alley, concrete edging to mark the edges of the drive surface, removal = of a few of the utility poles, signage at the alley entryways and resurfacin= g. This is intended to be the first in a series of alley improvements throughout the district.

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For more information about this project, ple= ase contact staff at lcra@lakelandgov.net.<= /span>

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Desktop, Dixieland

Internet Resources

Dixieland CRA Website:
= www.lakelandgov.net/commdev/cra/dixiela= nd.html
Core Improvement Area and Impact Fee Exemptions= : www.lakelandgov.net/commdev/planning/im= pactfees.html
Dixieland Property Owner Incentives:
www.lakelandgov.net/commdev/cra/incenti= ves.html

Village Manager (Database):
www.villagemanager.net/index.php/villag= es/view/14

COL Historic Preservation:
www.lakelandgov.net/commdev/planning/hi= storicpres.html

Florida Redevelopment Association:
www.redevelopment.net

For more information or to be added to/removed from this mailing list please email LCRA@lakelandgov.net.

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228 S Massachusetts Ave,
Lakeland, FL, 33801
863-834-6011, LCRA@lakelandgov.net