Painting can be a fun activity. But not everyone is blessed with natural artistic talent. For those amateur painters, a glass of wine or two might just be able to make painting less frustrating and more fun.
So it should be no surprise that a host of different franchise businesses that pair painting with wine have popped up in recent years.
Stephanie King-Myers originally started Bottle & Bottega as a mobile model in Chicago in 2009. But the business grew quickly, and King-Myers hired Nancy Bigley, a franchise industry veteran who now serves as the company’s CEO.
Bigley explained more about the company’s start in an interview with Business Opportunities:
“Stephanie’s first event was a private fundraiser that not only sold out, but also captured everyone’s attention. From there, Stephanie continued to host events and partner with restaurants and wine bars around Chicago. In 2011, I came on board and we opened our first studio.”
The company started franchising within just two years of its first event. And it has experienced growth far beyond King-Myers and Bigley’s original expectations. In fact, the company doubled in size over the past year and plans to experience similar growth in 2015.
There are a few different kinds of events at Bottle & Bottega. Clients can book private events where the location is only open to invited guests. These might be birthday parties, wedding or baby showers, bachelorette parties or similar events. They can also host corporate team building events or even charitable fundraisers.
And for those who don’t necessarily have a specific occasion to host or who aren’t attending a special event, Bottle & Bottega also holds public classes. These are pre-selected dates where individuals and small groups can come together and work on art projects in the same space.
So the company offers its franchisees with multiple revenue streams in its business model allowing them to operate their own studios in various cities and communities. These franchisees then rent out their space for a variety of events as well as offering individual class opportunities.
Currently, Bottle & Bottega has franchise locations in eight states, with corporate headquarters in Chicago. The video below shows more about the company’s franchise program.
It might not seem like having a glass of wine with friends would be conducive with showing off your best artistic talent. But Bottle & Bottega is more concerned with its guests having a good time. The company’s website states:
“It’s not an art class, it’s an art party!”
And Bottle & Bottega’s success thus far, along with the success of other similar franchises in the industry, seems to suggest that the strategy is working.
Image: Facebook
Aira Bongco
That’s a nice idea as millennials are always looking for ways on how to do things differently and this is something that will surely pique their interest.
Annie Pilon
Yes, the combination of painting and wine definitely seems to be catching on!