Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike and Cyndi Allas.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mike and Cyndi. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Both Cyndi and I have been in the hospitality industry for over 30 years, starting when we were in our teens. We have both worked for major chains and privately owned groups, casual and fine dining, night clubs, sports bars, and brew pubs to name a few. We both have an eye for detail and a strong belief in providing exceptional service at a fair price.
Acquiring Tannins Wine Bar was more a fluke than anything else. We happened to casually mention to the previous owners that we were looking to take over a restaurant/bar in Glen Ellyn but we had some reservations. A couple weeks later they contact Cyndi and asked “What would you think about buying Tannins?” About 4 months later, on February 1st 2015, we turned the keys on the lock and walked into Tannins for the first time as owners.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The loan process was the most difficult thing for us. The banks were not as progressive at giving out business loans as they had initially led us to believe. We finally had to settle with a personal loan to get the deal done.
Day to day operations came more natural to us, seeing as we have been doing the same thing for somebody else for so long. The key for us was to make the changes we felt the space needed, without upsetting the well-established base of Tannins regulars. We decided to make all changes in stages over time, this was both by design and necessity. If we wanted to make all the changes at once, we would have to close down the store for 1-2 weeks to get all the work done. In the end, if the changes were not well received, we would have to go through a process of elimination to figure out where we went wrong. Luckily we received excellent feedback on every change we have made over the years. Making all the physical upgrades, re-training the staff, and being closed for 2 weeks was also cost prohibitive for us at the time.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Tannins Wine Bar and Retail Shop – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Tannins has been in operation for nearly 18 years. It started as an upscale retail shop, and over time has become a hybrid of Bar and Retail store.
Tannins has always operated in a relaxed atmosphere where regardless of your level of wine knowledge, you will be comfortable here. We love wine, but we know how some people in the wine industry take it too seriously. Wine should be fun and that is always our goal at Tannins.
Since taking over Tannins we have quadrupled the number of beer we carry with a strong emphasis on Craft Breweries. We have also implemented a serious Craft Cocktail program. We use only premium liquors along with fresh squeezed juices and house-made syrups to make the best classic and specialty cocktails in town.
It was important to Cyndi and I to make Tannins Wine Bar accessible to everyone. Having the best wine list, beer selection, and cocktail program was our goal from day one. Let’s face it, not everyone wants to drink wine every day, so we wanted be the place where you could get any libation you want, and have it be quality.
Providing quality products at a fair price with exceptional and friendly service is what has made Tannins a staple in Elmhurst for the past 18 years.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We are hoping to open up at least one more store front in Elmhurst. We have several ideas that we think would fill a niche in town. We just need to find the right property and get the right investors lined up.
Contact Info:
- Address: 112 N. York St.
Elmhurst, IL. 60126 - Website: tanninswine.com
- Phone: (630)834-4800
- Email: mike@tanninswine.com
- Instagram: tanninselmhurst
- Facebook: tanninswine
- Yelp: Tannins Wine Bar
Image Credit:
Mike Allas
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