Village pops cork on measure

A place to educate tastebuds to the flavor of the state's fine wines could sprout along the Illinois Prairie Path.

To do so, the village would need to create a new liquor license that would allow wine tasting in Villa Park.

Trustees unanimously approved moving such a measure forward at their meeting Monday night.

Adding the Class K-1 license will allow potential customers to pour into Prairie and Vine, 29 E. Park Avenue, likely to open next month.

The board's final vote will help determine when the business opens, said the shop's primary owner, Kathleen Butzen, who attended the meeting along with business partner Susan Presslak.

Butzen, of Wood Dale, who grew up in Lombard, and Presslak, of Itasca, said their store would fill a niche among wine retail stores by focusing on local vineyards.

"Our goal is to be the very first shop in the state of Illinois to offer selections from all 72 wineries," Butzen said, noting the number of wine producers statewide.

"It's a booming business," Presslak said.

In 2003, Butzen said, there were only 24 wineries in the state.

Presslak described sampling to sell varieties from northern and southern wineries as cultivating "an untapped market."

The appropriately named August Hill and Prairie State wineries are scheduled to be featured if and when the business opens in August, Butzen said.

Prior to forming Prairie and Vine, the business partners started an online business called OWineNot.com, where they sell wine tasting kits, hand-painted wine glasses and other items. Some selections can be found Sundays at Villa Park's French Market.

Before coming to the weekly market, Butzen said a Wheaton-based investment counselor suggested the village would be a good place for a store.

"He said, 'Look along the Prairie Path,'" Butzen said. "We spotted the 'For Lease' sign."

Presslak said, "We saw it once and got chills and said, 'This is the one. This is meant to be.'"

For a business without a liquor license, as in the case of Butzen and Presslak, there would be a $500 issuance fee and a $300 annual renewal fee.

In April, wine tasting was offered at the annual Spring Arts and Crafts Show at The Odeum, facility manager Brad Walsh said.

"We were required to have a special permit," Walsh said when reached at his office prior to the meeting.

With the likely creation of a new license, future wine tasting could be on the way at other events, Walsh said.

Based on its success in April, Walsh said, wine tasting likely would be available at a fall show held before Thanksgiving.

Village Manager Robert Niemann said requests from The Odeum and Butzen were the first Villa Park had ever received for a taste license. A final vote on creating a K-1 license could come at the village's Aug. 13 meeting.