The team behind boutique bottle shop Elemental Spirits and zero-proof beverage shop the Zero Co. in Poncey-Highland are opening their first wine shop, Sidetracked Wine Co., on Friday.
Located at 3411 Pierce Drive in downtown Chamblee near a Norfolk Southern railway line, owner Cory Atkinson felt Sidetracked would be a fitting name for the newest addition to his beverage-focused retail portfolio.
“What I really grabbed on to in the name is the mystery and the mystique of getting sidetracked,” Atkinson said. “People come in for one thing and they get sidetracked and they end up buying some other different thing that excites them, or something that helps them along their journey.”
Atkinson envisions the shop a bit like a “vine garden,” similar to a beer garden, he said, where guests can hang out on the front patio with a wine flight.
The selection focuses on smaller, family-operated producers that are making their wine with “honesty and integrity,” general manager Adam Urban said. While the emphasis will be on Old World labels, Urban also wants to pull from lesser-known regions and domestic producers.
In the next month or so, Sidetracked will begin offering daily wine flights for $15, Atkinson said. The flights can be enjoyed on the 600-square-foot patio, which has a mix of benches and bistro seating for 20-30 people, music and string lights.
Sidetracked will also introduce a wine club, with members receiving wine bottles before they hit the shelves, plus 10% off on all wine in the store and one free flight per month.
Credit: Courtesy of Cory Atkinson
Credit: Courtesy of Cory Atkinson
The 900-square-foot interior has a modern look, Atkinson said, with windows on three sides to let in natural light, ash wood and some pops of color. There is also bar seating inside of the shop.
“We want to create that connection with the neighborhood,” Atkinson said. “Where people feel like they can come in and know who they’re talking to and build a relationship with their wine merchant.”
Sidetracked will be pouring free glasses of sparkling wine and handing out swag bags on Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13, to celebrate its opening.
The wine shop will be open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
3411 Pierce Drive, Chamblee. 770-274-6749, sidetrackedwine.co
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