Today we’d like to introduce you to Alison Racine.
Hi Alison, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I am originally from Vermilion. I moved away for school and spent the previous 10 + years in NYC, which is where I met my husband Jason Racine. We both share a love of wine.
I began my journey of knowledge of wine when I studied abroad in Australia where I learned about winemaking and marketing at Leeuwin Estate winery in Margaret’s River. My husband Jason is from California over the hills from Napa. We are both from small towns and we found each other in the big city and bonded over our love of wine and food.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We have felt very welcomed by the Vermilion community. Obtaining a permit was no small feat – there was a great deal of red tape and endless and changing processing times, needless to say, I’m glad that is behind us! Thankfully the city of Vermilion helped expedite the process by turning in the necessary paperwork promptly and were always available to support our opening, including our Mayor and Director of Main Street Vermilion, Marilou Suszko.
Another challenge was our friend and contractor, right before the completion of our store renovations, got into a motorcycle accident. The fact that he was ok was the most important thing, but it pushed our opening date. We are thrilled to have worked with him on our custom build-out that I designed and that he expertly executed.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My husband and I have had varied careers and jobs. A list of mine is floral designer, political aid, actor, playwright, early childhood educator, and now co-wine store owner with Jason.
Jason has performed in many bands and toured around the country, namely with the band !!!, barista, waiter, soccer coach, soccer organizer and owner for coed soccer leagues, men’s leagues, and a children’s soccer club, & a designer/producer of handmade soccer cleats called Legacy Boots.
How do you define success?
Getting to do what makes my family and me happy. We want to do work that makes us excited to get up in the morning. Creativity has been our glue and Jason and I are thankful that we are able to make a living through wine and other businesses.
Pricing:
- We do not separate our wines by region or varietal. Only by price: We have $20, $30, $40, $60, and $80+ shelves. We also have a feature wall with an assortment of wines at various prices.
Contact Info:
- Website: soswinesvermilion.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soswinesvermilion/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086287815398
