This is a bonus episode of Business LO all about the LO Wine Walk Saturday, October 5, 2024, title sponsorship by Justin Harnish and Harnish Properties. Additional thanks to Gold Sponsors Oswego Wealth Management and Aldrich Advisors for this spectacular event.
We’re here to focus on getting businesses to attend, to demonstrate what the chamber is capable of and how they can be a part of it in the future. This is practical advice for you and your business that helps you maximize your exposure! Guests Krystal Hanna, with Lions Capital Mortgage and Staci Barnes from Mapel Boutique who talk about why their business participates and what they get out of it in the short and long-term. Join Liz Hartman and Michelle O’Dell to discuss the LO Wine Walk experience through food, wine, community, and connection. Silver sponsor Lakeshore Inn and special thanks to Good Vibes Tours for providing downtown shuttle services.
Register early. Must be present to show ID for ticket and glass pick up
The Pouring Locations:
LIZ HARTMAN:: [00:00:00] This is Business LO, a podcast by the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce, which connects, educates, advocates, and champions our business community. We have nearly 500 members from international corporations to home based businesses, and we serve them all. Each episode of Business LO gives insider information to the local business community and the neighbors who support them.
And now let's talk business LO.
MICHELLE ODELL:: Here we are. It is a bonus episode of Business LO. It's all about the LO Wine Walk, Saturday, October 5th. Harnish Properties and Justin Harnish. They are the longtime title sponsor. We also have Oswego Wealth Management and Aldrich Advisors. They're gold sponsors of this spectacular event.
I'm Michelle Odell and along with Liz Hartman, we are your hosts. Today, we are here to focus on getting businesses to attend and we want to demonstrate what the [00:01:00] chamber is capable of. This is for businesses to understand the significance of its success and how you can be a part of it in the future. Liz is going to start us off with the big picture and the logistics.
And then we're going to be talking to Krystal Hanna from Lions Capital Mortgage and Staci Barnes with Mapel Boutique. They're going to discuss their firsthand knowledge and experience with past wine walks, and they'll give you. Easy, practical advice to maximize your involvement. So Liz, take it away.
Let's talk about the logistics of this event.
LIZ HARTMAN:: This is one of the most popular events for Lake Oswego. We have about 800 people who attend and that is a sellout for us. We have sold out for the last two years. This all started in 2014, and a few years ago, Justin Harnish and Harnish Properties became the title sponsor, and they have continued every year for at least six years.
We are encouraging businesses who are not part of the 40 pouring locations to To consider attending this [00:02:00] year, we have the opportunity to feature business to business relationships. And this is one way where if you're a business owner, or you want to treat your employees, or you want to treat your clients to a really great Lake Oswego experience, this is the Saturday to do it.
I can tell you that that first Saturday in October is a great time to walk around, meet other businesses, show off your city. Our city looks beautiful at this first weekend. It is the very last time that there is a farmer's market. So you can do that in the morning and then come walk the streets of Lake Oswego from one to five on Saturday, October 5th.
MICHELLE ODELL:: Can you give us some details? If someone's never done this before, tell us a little bit what it's like.
LIZ HARTMAN:: If you've never done it before, you really do need to sign up now because if we're sold out, we won't be able to sell any more tickets the day of. So once you have signed up, you'll get an email that gives you all of the pouring locations and all the wine that's being poured.
So if you are looking for a specific [00:03:00] wine that you haven't tried, you're able to map your chart and go through and figure out where you're going to do to have specific wines. If you haven't been in a. particular part of Lake Oswego, then you're able to chart where you're going to go in a different part.
This year we have added Lake Place and we have four pouring locations up there. We also have a shuttle this year, so you have to come and sign in each year. When you check in, you'll get 12 tickets, so that's 12 one ounce pours. You can use them in one, two, or three places, or you can go to 12 different locations.
No matter what, you can stop in in any location. They'll all have food. They all have wine. But you will be limited to the 12 one ounce pours.
MICHELLE ODELL:: It sounds like so much fun. Now explain how people carry around their wine glass, which is hilarious. Wouldn't you say?
LIZ HARTMAN:: Well, you can see pictures on the website that everybody gets.
The wine glass hangs from your neck. It's been called a wine yoke and [00:04:00] most everybody takes it because you want to have your hands free to do other things. We give you a bag, a satchel that has some great coupons in it. Okay. But it also carries all the other things that you might pick up along the way.
So you can have the glass in your hand, but you're going to see that everybody else is wearing it around their neck. It's really very practical. And we do need to remind people, you can't take the wine out of the shop. You have to drink it on site, but most people can get an ounce down before they walk out the door.
Oh, of course, not a problem. This is an opportunity for you also to see the gallery without walls. So if you have not formally walked around Lake Oswego, we are a city that has art on every street corner and in between the streets. So this is a wonderful opportunity to see the beautiful art that we have in our gallery without walls.
MICHELLE ODELL:: It's very cool. All right, Krystal, tell us about your experience and, you know, you work for a mortgage company. Tell us why you decided to be a part of this event.
KRYSTAL HANNA:: I have had the opportunity of serving almost in every position with [00:05:00] the Wine Walk. I have worked for the mortgage company, so Lions Capital Mortgage.
I have volunteered. To help with during, and I've also participated and each one brings a different aspect that I really enjoy, but for Lion's Capital Mortgage, you know, it's really essential for us to be out there and be a different mortgage company. And one way to do that is by serving our community.
It really puts us in touch with the people and it allows us to get a better understanding of what our clients need so we can meet those needs. We don't do it. Okay. Because we think someone's going to come in and all of a sudden need a mortgage and apply for it right then and there. It's about creating connection and fostering that within the community.
That's what's important to us.
MICHELLE ODELL:: You're working with a restaurant this year. Tell us about that relationship.
KRYSTAL HANNA:: This will be the second year in a row where we've teamed up with Momo Sushi over in Lake Grove. It is a crowd favorite, I will say. And. It just allows us to bring together [00:06:00] different aspects of Lake Oswego.
This strengthens our ties to the area and enriches our ability to surf. And to make it just really simple, we are local, so we support local and enrich those lives around us.
MICHELLE ODELL:: Now, this year, are you going to be out walking around drinking or are you going to be at your home base helping people?
KRYSTAL HANNA:: I, I haven't decided yet.
So last year I went with my partner and by the end of it, he was done. He's like, you know, everyone, this isn't fun for me. So I might just do it alone this year and see how it goes. Cause
MICHELLE ODELL:: you're never alone on the LO Wide Walk. You're never alone in Lake
KRYSTAL HANNA:: Oswego. we go.
MICHELLE ODELL:: That's really great. Never alone.
Now, Staci, Staci Barnes from Mapel Boutique, tell us about why you are a part of this and some good advice you give other businesses.
STACI BARNES:: This is literally my favorite event that the Chamber puts on. I love everything about it. It's always very, very well attended. The store is beautiful. Literally packed.
It's [00:07:00] filled to the gills. And I love that. What we have found historically is that it brings a ton of people in. And some of the people that come in are already existing customers. Some of them maybe have kind of forgotten that we're here and so we come to mind. And others are in for the very first time.
And all of those three things are very, very important as a business and as a retailer. We definitely have an uptick in sales that day, but I wouldn't say it's in line with the number of bodies in the store, but what I have found and what happens, and this I've been in the store and experience this, customers come back in after the wine walk and they say, Hey, I was here with my husband and we were here for the wine walk.
I saw this one dress. I have to try it on. So I think when people are experiencing the wine walk, they're there to do the wine walk, which I love and I get. And so they might pick up a few small things, but they are there. They are definitely coming back. They are definitely checking out our website. Also it allows people to kind of experience [00:08:00] the Lake Oswego experience, which is unique.
And so even if they're here for the wine walk and not out to purchase a bunch of stuff, they are going to remember that experience and the next time they have friends or family in town, they're going to bring them down here to get something to eat and to shop around. We are just all in on the wine walk and I'm not even joking when I say I wish we did it more than once a year.
We would
LIZ HARTMAN:: Yes, we did start a second wine walk and that is in Lake Grove along Boones Ferry Road. And that is the first weekend in May. That is only Oregon wines. And we started that to put a little focus on the businesses on Boones Ferry Road. And, Stacey, the businesses over there had the same reaction that you did.
It's that people come back and say, I didn't even know you were here. It's so good. I love
MICHELLE ODELL:: it. I want to ask Krystal and Stacey this. What do you recommend for businesses if they are a part of this, especially, you know, next May or next October, what can you do to be a [00:09:00] really great draw? You want to get people in your door.
What can, and then they're there. What kind of incentives do you like to have for them? Thank you.
STACI BARNES:: Food's always a great incentive. Yeah. I think maybe it depends on what that business is trying to do. Like if they're selling a good or a service or an experience, you know, I don't know, but I would find a way to send somebody off with a take home, whatever that looks like.
I know that they have a swag bag, so make sure you put something in that swag bag. But maybe when people come into your store, you're also physically handing them something, whatever that looks like a reason to come back at another time. Minute. An incentive, an invitation to an upcoming event. You know, it's going to be different for every business, but I would certainly capitalize on that traffic coming in, find a way to bring them back in and then work with your team members so that they have the right wording to share the brand, to share why people should come back in, use that as an opportunity to talk about your business.
KRYSTAL HANNA:: I have another suggestion. It's signing up with the chamber to be a pouring location as soon as possible, because [00:10:00] then you get to maximize your exposure of your brand because they start pushing out the material early and the longer you're signed up, the better.
LIZ HARTMAN:: Jen is great on the social media. And the one thing that we.
Really haven't gotten instituted this year, but we'd love to do next year. If we know ahead what your food is, like we know that momo sushi is over at lion's mortgage, we would include that in the social media as well. So we can have crossover with the businesses that you connect with, and it's a good way for them to participate as well.
MICHELLE ODELL:: Liz, while we're at it, go ahead and tell people how you promote this.
LIZ HARTMAN:: Yeah, we want people to come, not just from Lake Oswego. We have people coming from everywhere. So we're in the Oregon Wine Press, we're in almost all of the Carpenter Media publications, we have social media, we have gone to the Neighborhood Association.
So we spread out on what our advertising is.
MICHELLE ODELL:: And also, let's have a list of the sponsors. We need to give everybody a shout out because it's so important. We love our sponsors. We need our sponsors.
LIZ HARTMAN:: Of course, we have to say thank you to [00:11:00] Justin Harnish and Harnish Properties. We always appreciate Aldrich Advisors and Oswego Wealth Management.
They're our gold sponsors, as well as the Lakeshore Inn. I
KRYSTAL HANNA:: have a question for Stacy. Do you bring in extra staffing for that day?
STACI BARNES:: Yes, we definitely are very well staffed because we need stylists to service the customers, both coming in for the wine walk and then just our normal traffic for that day. We also keep somebody at the front door just to ensure that nobody walks out with a glass with wine, their glass they can go off with, but not the wine.
And then also we usually keep somebody near the food area because sometimes that kind of depletes before it's supposed to. So yes, we're definitely well staffed that day.
MICHELLE ODELL:: Krystal, what do you end up doing at your place?
KRYSTAL HANNA:: We do bring in all the loan officers at that location. We have several people there that can answer questions about rates, where we think that they might be heading.
There's been lots of talk about refinances out there, so you can definitely get in touch with one of us and we can help answer those questions. Is it [00:12:00] too soon to say about ticket
LIZ HARTMAN:: sales? Because you Yes, we usually sell out about a week ahead of time. As of the
MICHELLE ODELL:: 16th, you're not completely full, so people can still sign up and join in.
On October 5th at this point. Talk about how people should think about making lunch and or dinner reservations while they're already in town. We really
LIZ HARTMAN:: encourage people to come and get registered and then go to lunch. You probably want to have a reservation for lunch. And if you're going to stay through the evening, you should.
You probably need a reservation for dinner as well. With 800 people in town who say at the end of the day, boy, I really don't want to go make dinner. It's really easy to just walk to the next dinner place in some place in downtown. That is great
MICHELLE ODELL:: advice. You can just really spend the whole day in, like, Oswego.
Why not? I mean, again, you parked your car. You might as well just stay out and have fun. Go ahead and tell everybody how much it costs. Yes,
LIZ HARTMAN:: it is 60 for a ticket, but if you watch in Carpenter Media for those ads, occasionally there's a 5
MICHELLE ODELL:: off coupon in there. Oregon, we are known for our wine, [00:13:00] and you said that this particular wine walk, the October wine walk, is international wines, right, Liz?
LIZ HARTMAN:: Yeah, let
MICHELLE ODELL:: me tell you a little
LIZ HARTMAN:: bit how those are selected. Jim Vinson over at Weiser's Wines really curates what we have, so he will find some Fabulous international wines. We have some of our pouring locations that pay a little bit extra to be a premium wine location. But one of the really interesting things that has come out over the years is sometimes there is a lower cost wine that is fabulous that Jim will know about and that will be at one of the tasting locations.
So he really does look for both value and for international and for exceptional wines that are featured in this wine walk. Do people often buy bottles of wine while they're out and about too? There will be a price sheet in there for discounted wines at Weiser's Wines that you can go right after the pouring ends at five o'clock.
Weiser's will be open till six, but the special sheet will be good probably for about four or five days after the wine walk. If any of our members [00:14:00] want to participate in a little different way, we're always looking for volunteers and that may mean greeting people on the shuttle bus or checking people in or even stuffing the bags the day before the wine walk.
MICHELLE ODELL:: Liz, while we're here, give everybody the website, LakeOswegoChamber. com. Well, I want to thank everybody for being here today. We had Krystal. She, she is also part of the podcast production team. She helped form this podcast. So Krystal, Krystalh. It's been fun. From Lion's Capital Mortgage. And of course, Stacey Barnes with Krystal Boutique for discussing what they know about this, a wonderful event.
I really appreciate you being here.
STACI BARNES:: Thanks for having me. Thank you.
MICHELLE ODELL:: You're so welcome. And don't forget, every day is a Chamber of Commerce Day in Lake Oswego.
LIZ HARTMAN:: The Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce thanks you for listening to Business LO. We would love to have you as a member so you can help Lake Oswego continue to be one of the best places to live, work, and play.
If you want to share an idea for a future episode, visit Or become a member, [00:15:00] visit us at LakeOswegoChamber. com and please like, and follow us on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And for help with your business podcast, go to ModcastProductions. com.