Business & Tech

New Ferndale Wine Shop Keeps It Simple, Spirited

Winezilla, located at 155 W. Nine Mile Road, focuses on quality, inexpensive wines accessible to "everyday people."

A new wine shop in Ferndale is looking to keep it simple, affordable and fun for everyone.

From the wine aficionado to the casual taster, to the guy who just thought the shop had a funny name - there is a bottle for everyone who visits Winezilla.

That's a primary philosophy behind the new store, located at 155 W. Nine Mile Road. Owner Ed Bosse says he wants his store to be accessible to everyone - "everyday people," he said - both in price and attitude.

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The store's name alone aims to give a certain fun, easy-going impression, and the majority of wines at Winezilla are priced under $15.

The idea of wine being associated with someone wearing a suit and buying a $100 bottle is "not really where the wine market is" anyway, he said.

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"What people think is the traditional wine market ... really never has been that," Bosse said, pointing out that the biggest market is actually people ages 25-35, and particularly females. "It's more fun and more female than most people realize."

His store is open to all, of course - and they do carry some expensive wines - but "it's really like a kind of a spirit more than anything," he said. "It's really just good, simple fun."

For his customers, wine is more of an "everyday, comfortable thing."

"It's more about the quality of the wine and the food and whoever is visiting them," he said.

Winezilla officially opened about three weeks ago. While Bosse waited for the store's liquor license to come through, he operated a small, pop-up clothing store, True Detroit, in the space.

Bosse is the previous owner of Simply Wine, which had locations in Ferndale and Birmingham.

The Ferndale community has been very supportive, he said.

"Ferndale is the kind of a place where if someone comes in and likes the store, they'll go out of their way to, kind of as a village, make sure that it's successful and bring their friends in," Bosse said. "That's been kind of a cool aspect of the store opening."

Interested in having a taste? Stop by any Saturday between 1-4 p.m. for a free wine-tasting. Each week will feature one country or one style of wine.

Hours are 12-6 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, check out Winezilla's Facebook page or call the store at 248-543-5763.


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