Building a Neighborhood Wine Bar Through Community with Jennifer Rogers | EP237

A broken wine fridge, a freezer that quit on opening day, and a neighborhood that showed up anyway. In Episode 237 of ON THE DELO: Arizona’s Hospitality Podcast, Delo sits down with Jennifer “Jen” Rogers, owner of Grapes & Hops Wine Bar and Shop, to talk about what it really takes to turn a love of wine into a place where people feel at home. Jen traces her path from growing up in Glendale and studying broadcast journalism at ASU to reporting on wine in Washington and Oregon. She shares how she and her husband transformed a former nail salon near Tatum and Greenway into a wine bar, bottle shop, and gathering space, then learned the realities of permits, equipment failures, charcuterie, and asking experienced operators for help. The heart of this one is community: more than 60 fundraisers in the first year, guests becoming friends, and winemakers telling their stories across the bar. Delo and Jen also get into the cost of free tastings, why she changed her wine-club approach, and how to make wine education welcoming instead of intimidating. It’s honest, funny, and full of lessons for anyone building a neighborhood business. **Chapter Guide (Timestamps)** (0:00 - 2:15) Welcome to the Neighborhood: Meeting Jen (2:16 - 6:04) Glendale Roots, Broadcast Journalism, and Becoming a Wine Reporter (6:05 - 8:50) Art, Marriage, and the Long Road to a Wine Business (8:51 - 12:09) Turning a Nail Salon into Grapes & Hops (12:10 - 15:40) Opening-Day Equipment Failures and a Crash Course in Charcuterie (15:41 - 17:45) Learning from Other Operators and Serving with Personality (17:46 - 21:43) Fundraisers, New Friendships, and the Joy of Community (21:44 - 25:44) Winemaker Stories, Wine Selection, and Business Costs (25:45 - 28:50) The Biggest Lessons: Ask for Help and Get People in the Door (28:51 - 32:50) Rethinking Free Tastings, Wine Clubs, and Tipping (32:51 - 35:27) Rapid Fire, Asking Wine Questions, and the Wrap-Up 💬 What makes a neighborhood spot feel like your place? Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments and share this episode with someone opening a bar, shop, or community-minded business. 👉 Subscribe for more real conversations about Arizona hospitality, business ownership, and the people behind the places we love. **GUEST LINKS:** 📲 Learn more about Grapes & Hops Wine Bar and Shop at https://grapeshops.com/ 📷 Follow Grapes & Hops on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grapeshopswinebar/ 📘 Grapes & Hops on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grapeshopswinebar **PODCAST LINKS:** 🔗 Connect with Delo: https://linktr.ee/iamthedelo 📚 Get Delo’s New Book, Risky Business: https://amazon.com/dp/B0GWSF48DX 🤝 Delo’s Preferred Business Service Partners: https://iamthedelo.com/connect 👥 Entrepreneur Community: https://www.builtdifferentcommunity.com 📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/IAmTheDelo 📷 Instagram: https://instagram.com/iamthedelo 💼 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/daviddelorenzo1 🍽️ Restaurant Resources: https://www.runningrestaurants.com/subscribe    - DISCOUNT CODE: DeLo2025