Specialty Retail: Food & Drink
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 01 November 2012 13:47
- Written by Paul Gordon
A Touch of Italy in the Heights
Olio & Vino offers unique taste experience with olive oils, spices and wines
When Stephanie Brott went into a shop in Scottsdale, Ariz., that specialized in olive oils and wines a few years ago, she was reminded of Italy. Given her maiden name is Bernardi, of Bernardi's restaurant fame, she would know what that is like.
The question was, would the Peoria area take to such a shop? Different types of olive oils and special wines and spices don't sound like a Midwest type of thing.
"I knew this was me the minute I walked in to that store. I knew it was what I wanted to do. I wanted to give Peoria something different and tasty, something unique and still healthy. And I found this to be the perfect location for a store like this," Brott said while at her shop, Olio & Vino, 4603 N. Prospect Road in Peoria Heights — in the midst of one of this region's most unique shopping experiences — that she opened in August 2010.
"I'll admit, I did wonder about whether there would be enough sales in a Midwest market like this to make it work. But I realized people here are just now really catching on to the benefits of olive oil to the diet. Also, more and more people are watching the cooking shows that concentrate on healthy cooking.
"So even though we sell a little more expensive product, once people try it they come back. Right now seven out of every 10 customers that come in are new customers visiting us for the first time. That ratio is changing because we are seeing more and more repeat customers," Brott said.
Her products are more expensive than those found at grocery stores, but she said they are guaranteed fresh. "You don't always know what you are getting in some grocery stores as far as freshness," she said. "And you can't usually taste them before you buy them to make sure you like them."
Olio & Vino allows customers to taste products before they purchase them, including wines and mixes of different types of oils and balsamic vinegars. The oils are from different olive varieties, which Brott proudly pronounces are "extra virgin," while the balsamic vinegars are from grapes that are fermented differently than wines.
To be "extra virgin" the olive oils must be cold pressed and organic from small harvests. They are, Brott said, "better for you" than other oils.
The store has 20 varieties of olive oils and 14 kinds of balsamic vinegars, all from California. Brott and store manager Annette Crady are well read about them all and Olio & Vino has binders filled with information about the various types of oils and the olive groves from which they are harvested. That information, Brott said, includes the health benefits of the oils.
"We want to be able to educate our customers about the benefits if they don't already know them, then we invite them to find the taste that suits them because every taste is different," she said. The oils and vinegars are kept in self-serve barrels.
Once a customer picks an oil, he or she can buy one already bottled or ask that it be bottled right then. The store has its own branded bottles and equipment.
"There aren't too many places where you can go and taste the product before you buy it. People like that they can do that here. It makes a difference," Brott said.
Wine can also be tasted as customers are invited to taste some of the wines at the bar or from the two automated Napa Technology wine dispensing stations in the store. The stations each hold four varieties of wine and they are temperature controlled so the customer experiences each glass the way it is intended to be served.
The store also carries some specialty and gourmet foods, including pasta, sauces, cheese and marinades. All combine with the oils, vinegars and spices to offer customers a unique aromatic experience when they first walk in.
For the sweet tooth, truffles and chocolates are available, as well.
Brott invites customers to join Club Olio so they can receive email updates about the store and its products, including when it hosts events such as wine tasting days. Each Monday is called "Refill Monday" and customers can bring oil and balsamic vinegar bottles in to have them refilled at a special price.
Brott said gift packages are starting to become more popular and she will fill them with just about any product a customer wishes.
When Brott isn't at Olio & Vino she is running the Bernardi's restaurant she owns in Washington, the third generation of the Bernardi family to own a restaurant.
"These are my businesses and I love them. I am busy but I believe we are giving customers a unique taste experience," she said.
OLIO & VINO
4603 N. Prospect, Peoria Heights
(309) 685-5505
www.olioandvino.com
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday.
Offers a variety of extra virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegars, wines, gourmet food items and specialty gifts.
