For this project, my classmate Jada and I chose to visit Slope Cellars, located in Park Slope.  Despite being surrounded by various businesses in such a commercial area, it’s very impressive how easy it was to spot the black and red sign that read “Slope Cellars.” Stepping inside was almost like entering a library. The walls were covered with wine bottles placed on large brown wooden shelves that reached the ceiling. There was even a railing between the fifth and sixth shelf that allowed for a roller library ladder to move throughout the space. To the right two cash registers and a friendly employee who greeted us immediately. Behind him placed on the same shelves were the liquors. Past the cozy wine library was a smaller section of the shop that was separated by color and design. This room was all white and had wine cases stacked on top of one another. After introducing ourselves we waited for our interview to begin. 

Mrs. Lenartz gave us a small tour of the shop as she explained to us how she started her business and her preference for how she manages everything. She showed us that the wines on the shelves were organized by country and then placed by region. Starting from the entrance the wines began in Spain and ended in Austria and the liquors were last. We learned that she and her husband opened the wine shop when it was just a run-down liquor store and used their restaurant experience to help guide them. She didn’t want to sell the more popular wines such as Santa Margherita, Pinot Grigio, and Yellowtail wines instead she was interested in selling organic wines from smaller producers to the community. She stated that great service was a priority and that anyone who entered would receive a warm welcome from the employees. It was clear that she took pride in having employees that are great with people and educated in the products they’re selling. She mentioned that her employees should be able to taste wine, be able to talk about it and pair it well with a meal. Walking around I noticed stars on the prices of the wine. She explained that the starts indicated if the wine was organic and that she placed small pieces of paper with said stars to act as a key so browsing the wines would be easier for customers. 

Ending the tour we were shown the back where the “cheap and tasty” labeled wines are placed. She shared how important it was to build strong connections with her customers and in doing that giving a positive influence on the community. We were able to see that as we noticed people having a great time browsing and even children playing with one of the employee’s dog. Overall I had a wonderful time visiting this wine shop. If you’re looking to buy great affordable wine in a small shop with great music and friendly faces, I would highly recommend “Slope Cellars.”

The sign outside the wine shop.

One of the walls with the wines placed on shelves, along with the roller library ladder.

A key that indicates how the wine is organized and what the stars on prices mean.

The wines in the back of the shop that are labeled “cheap and tasty.”

The red wine Atanasius Rot made in the Weinland region of Austria.