10/01/2026
A little personal note from me today. ❤️
If there’s one thing people know about me, it’s that I’m always going to be honest with you. When things are good, they’re GOOD — and we celebrate together. And when things are rough… they’re rough. And that’s when we reach out to our community. September was brutal. September is historically one of the slowest months for businesses like ours and we prepared for it, but this year was even tougher than we expected.
For some business owners is "shameful" or find it uncouth talking about business struggling, but then... how the guests that care can help you to make it happen? Honesty is all! To me it is not a shame hustling every day and trying. Some days I win, some days I lose. That is the game. We just want to have a few more winning these days lol I’ve owned several businesses, in several cities, and worked on a lot of different projects over the years.
But doing business here is different. And I know it’s not just us. In ONE DAY, as we’re coming to the end of the month and everyone is staring down rent and bills, I saw about four local businesses announce they were closing their doors. Some of them were businesses I absolutely loved — like Black Butterfly NSB, truly one of those hidden gems. Another business we absolutely love, Tipsy Unicorn, recently put out a call for community support and is still hanging in there. Reading the comments, i noticed so many "oh, i wish i would've gone more". That is the wake up call... support because you never know when might be the last time.
And that got me thinking.
Yes, some of our locations are hard to find. I hear that all the time. 😂
But a lot of you HAVE found us. And sometimes we don’t see you again for months. We all talk about how much we rely on snowbirds — and we absolutely do and we love all our snowbirds — but small businesses also need our LOCAL community year-round. And here’s another thing I think is important to understand about small business: Financial success does NOT mean having a place that is packed every single night.
A full room doesn't automatically mean a profitable business. Sometimes you can walk into a place and see it completely packed — and that business may actually be struggling MORE because their overhead is enormous. Huge rent. Huge payroll. Huge operating costs. Huge everything.
This is actually one of the reasons I intentionally chose a small venue for Decant. I didn’t want the stress and financial burden of a much larger space. Already done that. I wanted something intimate, manageable and financially sustainable.
But then comes the conundrum... People don't like going into places that look “empty.” And I get it. We associate busy with good. But how are we ever going to get “busy” if everyone keeps going ONLY to the places that are already busy? Sometimes you have to be willing to be one of the first people in the room. You might be the person who helps make that room feel alive. And that matters more than you probably realize. As an entrepreneur, I honestly don’t know how some businesses can sustain themselves if this is your full-time livelihood relying on a few months a year.
Some owners have other jobs, side businesses, projects or another source of income that helps keep the business afloat. Which I also do, and helped me fairing summer. Some businesses are hobbies. And there is NOTHING wrong with that. But for some of us, this is how we pay our bills. This is how we support our families. This is our livelihood. That doesn’t make one business more important than another. We are ALL working incredibly hard to stay afloat in a very delicate economy. We know gas is expensive. Groceries are out of control. Rent is out of control. Everyone is feeling it. But if you still have the ability to go out and support a small business, please remember to do it.
People tell me all the time, “You just have a difficult location.” Maybe. But I also have an AMAZING landlord who has worked with me through every single hurdle, every difficult month and every curveball to help us make this happen and see it through and we are so grateful for that.
We have plenty of parking.
We are full of hospitality.
We have warm hearts and a cozy atmosphere.
No service fees.
No hidden fees.
No corkage fee. No nonsense.
$7 Happy Hour
Daily Deals & specials
Just come as you are.
We wear our hearts on our sleeves. ❤️
Yes, the market is saturated. I get it. But each one of us still offer some distinctly unique and i truly believe there is room for everyone at the table. We are trying to create one-of-a-kind experiences, and honestly, it breaks my heart that some of the businesses offering those unique, special little experiences seem to be struggling the most. After almost 20 years in business, I’ve learned how to hustle. I’ve learned how to pivot. I’ve learned how to take the winds of change and adapt. Still, its nerve wrecking as all depends on this. And that’s what we’re doing. So yes — we’re going to be here for a while God willing and with your help and support. 😉
But my heart aches for the businesses that can’t. For the owners who don't have a landlord willing to work with them. For the ones dealing with insane rents. For the ones who simply don’t know where to start. And maybe this is where I can help. I want to be part of the solution, not the problem.
So I’m working on adding business-focused classes and seminars at Decant — everything from Business 101 and how to start a business, to using social media efficiently, how AI can help (and potentially affect) your business, and my personal jam: how to build and operate a beautiful, profitable beverage program. Because if I’ve learned anything after all these years, it’s that we have to help each other.
So use October to GET OUT there. Support your little guys. We are all hustling for our families. The ones trying to pay their bills. The ones doing it because they absolutely LOVE hospitality. The ones pouring their hearts into something they believe in and doing something different. And we are forever grateful for every single person who spends even a penny with us.
We literally cannot be here without you.
To our loyal regulars.
To Chris for devoting his time on awesome food inspired events.
Our w**e club members. To my consulting clients for trusting me with their hospitality biz needs.
To those that have hosted events with us.
My Sanford crowd who STILL shows up. 🥹
Our musicians who work with us and our budget and always help make the place feel alive. Our landlord, whose patience and willingness to work with us means more than I can explain. (Go and support The Med Spa and Dr. Ben Adams dentistry!)
Our neighbors and local businesses who continue to support one another. And everyone who shares, likes, comments and supports us from a distance.
And if you simply can't afford to go out right now — WE GET IT. ❤️
A share.
A comment.
A kind post in a community group.
A Google review.
Telling a friend about us.
Those things cost you nothing and can make a HUGE difference in helping a small business get visibility. And not just us. All of them.
So that’s my little heart-to-heart today. Get out. Support when you can. Support how you can. Show your local small businesses some love. We’ll be here for your w**e and b**r needs… and SOON books and coffee too! ☕📚 I am seriously so excited about that part.
And TODAY, I’ll be behind the bar at Decant with one of our budget-friendly favorites: 🍷 A bottle of w**e + a small cheese board for $30. Perfect for a little night out without breaking the bank. Come hang out. Come say hi.
Come have a glass. Let's chat about the w**e biz world lol. We hope to see you soon. ❤️ And thank you. Truly. Love you all with all my heart!
Cheers to all my fellow biz owners and all of you for your support!
