Wine hobby growing into thriving retail business

November 09, 2007
By Robert C. Burns
Muskegon Chronicle Business Editor

Amateur vintners Garrett Anguilm and Bob Rajewski used to make their rich fruit wines mainly for drinking around the campfire with friends.

Today, they spend much of their time making wines for others to drink around their own campfires.

Anguilm and Rajewski's Clay Avenue Cellars -- a business that has succeeded beyond the owners' expections -- celebrates its first year of operation Saturday with free tastings and merchandise drawings.

During the first year, Anguilm says, Clay Avenue Cellars produced about $30,000 worth of wine in the basement of a converted 1920s-era filling station, 611 Clay. The duo expect to make money on their product this year.

"I would say we're going to stay in business, yes," Anguilm said.

The two work about 20-30 hours a week making wine in addition to performing their regular jobs. But to them, winemaking is more fun than work. Assisting in the business is Anguilm's wife, Lonna.

With 40 years of winemaking experience between them, Anguilm and Rajewski might never have turned their hobby into a business had it not been for Brenda Moore, a former Muskegon city planner and Rajewski's girlfriend.

Moore purchased the former Freres Brothers station and had it moved from Laketon Avenue to Clay, between Seventh and Eighth streets.

She converted the upper floor into Clay Avenue Station, an art gallery featuring local artists, while Anguilm and Rajewski do their work in the cellar and conduct tastings and sales on the main floor.

With its proximity to Heritage Landing, the Station became a popular destination for festival-goers last summer.

People from various places around the world have visited the tiny wineproducing operation.

Anguilm said the guest book has entries from as far away as England, Japan, Ireland, and Norway, plus U.S. states as far away as California, Texas and Florida.

Still, the two are proudest of the support they've received from people from the Muskegon and Grand Rapids' areas.

"They say they're happy to see the activity downtown and proud of the quality product coming from the winery," Anguilm said.

Their products were recently stocked by another new downtown Clay Avenue business -- The Cheese Lady -- and Racquets has started selling it by the glass.

He and Rajewski buy their fruit in season from a 40-mile region around Muskegon, and those who come for tastings are given a rundown of the ingredients' origins -- cherries from Shelby, strawberries from Rothbury, blueberries from North Muskegon, blackberries from New Era, raspberries from Fremont, and so on.

Rajewski said that using whole fruit to make wines is more work, but it gives better color and flavor to their wines.

While neither is ready to give up their day jobs, they say that day is coming -- and, if business keeps up, may be sooner than they planned.

© 2007 Muskegon Chronicle. Used with permission