“We call this a pinky-up-free zone. It’s not frou frou. You know, we like nice things, we love great products, but we still want to have value; be approachable to just about anybody. Whether you’re a millionaire or you’re a local server at a local restaurant, everybody’s welcome. We treat everyone with the same respect, and they all get the same service.”
-- Ed Brehm
 

Ed is the reason I've developed a passion for wine. When you walk into Boyne Country Provisions and The Wine Emporium & Market in Boyne City, Michigan, you can tell right away it isn't a mere party store. From the welcoming staff, to the ambient music, to the wine tastings on Saturday evenings, everything about this place radiates success. When you catch yourself in an inner monologue of, Dude, can I work here?, you know they're doing something right.

Ed and his wife, Kristine, used to work for an automotive supplier in Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Ed as a robotics paint engineer and Kristine as a chemical engineer. Eventually, a consulting position came up in northern Michigan for the largest automotive supplier in the world. Ed and Kristine agreed to the move, but committed to starting their own business after five years.

Fast forward three and half years to 2008. Ed is promoted one week, only to be let go with 100+ other employees the following Monday. The good news is he and Kristine had already purchased the local provisions store. The bad news is now they had a dilemma. Do they sell the provisions store and leave or do they make lemonade?

It's good thing they chose the latter. Boyne Country Provisions quickly progressed, and they decided to open another side of the business; a wine shop.

In order to feel comfortable with selling people wine, Ed and Kristine felt it was important to be as knowledgeable about the beverage as possible. Oddly enough, Master Sommelier Ron Edwards (1 of 229 people worldwide to achieve the title, 147 of which are in North America) lived close enough to Boyne City to mentor Ed through obtaining the level of Certified Sommelier.

They are now celebrating their seventh year in business. For The Wine Emporium & Market, Ed and Kristine focus on finding wine produced by small, family-owned vineyards, while avoiding what Ed refers to as McWines (large wine producers that tend to sacrifice quality for quantity). However, quality doesn't have to mean spending $100 for a bottle of red. Ed takes pleasure in finding great quality wines at a great price, and it shows. When you stop by for one of their wine tastings, which are held every Saturday from 4pm to 7pm, you don't only sip wine. You receive an education. There are typically three wines for each tasting, and Ed goes into the history of the grape varietals, the vintners' wine-making process, and with what foods the wines pair well. One of the wines from each tasting is featured as the WOW (Wine of the Week), and is offered at a discount for that week.

Regarding the business, Ed credits a combination of things to its success. One of them is the importance of good old-fashioned customer service; everyone is greeted with a warm welcome and everyone gets the same service, no matter who they are. Another is a list of what Ed and Kristine refer to as The Non-Negotiables, which is an agreement each team member must sign in order to be employed. The Non-Negotiables must be worth it, though, because the team members look like they genuinely enjoy their work.

There's much more in the full interview, so make sure to listen, like, and share! Also, remember to check out the hidden gems from the interview below:

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Hidden Gems