Wine bar slated for former Mayer-Schairer building

BY JENNIFER DANIEL SZYMANSKI
Ann Arbor Business Review

A member of a longtime wine-loving family is branching out on her own with a series of concept restaurants, one of which is slated to occupy a notable Main Street location.

Kristin Jonna, daughter of John Jonna - who founded Merchant of Vino - will open Vinology, a wine bar, restaurant and retail shop later this year in the former Mayer-Schairer building on Main Street.

"We've been working on Ann Arbor for over two years now," said Jonna, who not only came up with the restaurant's concept and design, but also carefully selected every wine that will appear on the menu. It's her first solo project as well as her first stint as a business owner.

Vinology will feature a large selection of wines from every major region available by the bottle, glass, and in "sample pours." The restaurant also will offer tapas and an artisan cheese station. It will seat nearly 200 people and will encompass 8,000 square feet on two floors: the wine bar and restaurant on the ground floor and the retail store on the lower level.

The retail store will sell every wine that's on the menu, said Jonna, as well as some that aren't on the list. There will be at least 150 different wines for sale in the store, she said.

"I think the goal of a wine bar is to allow you to experience and be educated on wine from around the world," said Jonna. "That, to me, is the heart of my focus."

The building was constructed in 1908 and has been vacant since longtime office supply company Mayer-Schairer closed in 2002. J.C. Beal Construction Inc. of Ann Arbor is doing the building renovations.

Having exposed raw brick throughout the space nicely complements the ambiance Jonna is striving for with the restaurant, she said. "It's very similar to the feeling you get in wine cellars and wineries. It just works."

Vinology is the second location for Jonna. In April, she opened a 3,000 square foot wine bar called Vinotecca in Royal Oak. While the two locations will be similar in dŽcor, the Ann Arbor location will have a more extensive food menu and a larger retail space, Jonna said. In addition, Vinology will likely feature a few more unique wines than at the Royal Oak location.

"In Ann Arbor, I think there's already a little bit more of an educated palate," said Jonna. "I think I can start a little bit more eclectic and take some of the unique favorites from (Royal Oak) and start the list (in Ann Arbor)."

Jonna's business partner is Jon Carlson, owner of Grizzly Peak Brewing Co. in Ann Arbor and a partner in Bastone, which Vinotecca shares space with in Royal Oak. The two met through a mutual acquaintance who shops at the Jonna family's Merchant's Fine Wine store in Dearborn, where Jonna is store manager.

The acquaintance mentioned an available location in Ann Arbor, which Jonna would soon come to know as the Mayer-Schierer building. She also was introduced to Carlson, who had also written a business plan for a wine bar concept. "It was daunting to see the similarities in our business plans," Jonna said.

In fact, the Ann Arbor location was first on their list, but has taken longer to come together. "Royal Oak just kind of came up quicker," she said.

In addition to Carlson, Jonna has three other business partners. She declined to name them, but said most were partners in the real estate.

The investment, she said, is "substantial."

In Royal Oak, the average sit time is three hours, and the wait staff is quizzed on their wine knowledge before they're hired. About 70 percent of sales is wine, Jonna said, and about 50 percent of that is red.

After graduating college, Jonna worked for a year at the Benzinger Family Winery in Sonoma, California before returning to Michigan to manage Merchant's Fine Wine.

"I loved it, but I was so frustrated because you can't taste in the store," she said. "So, this whole concept grew out of that frustration. I wanted to do something for my family business that was a compliment, but not another retail store."