Welcome to 2010!! I am still having a hard time writing that! How many checks have you still dated 2009? I was just getting use to writing 2009 and here we are in a new decade!
If the start of 2010 is any indication of the remainder of the year, we have a lot to look forward to ! From an industry magazine entitled, “Bar and Nightclub”, I received an email dated late, last week that Mercy Wine Bar has been nominated, along with 3 other wine bars from across the country, for Wine Bar of the Year for the US. They will announce the winner during their tradeshow in Las Vegas in March. Several years ago they selected us as one of the top 100 bars in the US and I was absolutely thrilled to receive that level of recognition. Top 100 of ANYTHING in the US is a great thing. Now to have been nominated for TOP wine bar is truly amazing. Of course we would love to win this award; however, simply to have been recognized as one of the best in your field is a bigger honor than we could have ever imagined. We were the only wine bar from the state of Texas nominated. The other 3 were from other major cities in the US. It was our vision, 7 years ago, to be a local wine bar where people from the local community would have a place to go to learn about wine. A place for guests to experience food and wine pairings in an environment that was warm, cozy and comfortable. We never imagined getting national recognition. Each of our guests has contributed to this nomination and we thank each of you for your continued support of Mercy.
An area of focus for Mercy this year will be increasing the visibility of our menu. After 7 years, we still hear guests say that they were not aware we had a full dining menu. The term “wine bar” conjures up a concept of “tapas” or cheese plates alone. Since the day we opened 7 years ago, Mercy has had a full menu. Of course, our focus is on the 150 wines by the glass, and that will remain our main focus; however, we do want people to know about our menu and enjoy Mercy for the dining experience and our ambience.
While, I think, everyone will agree that ’09 had its challenges! We feel very fortunate to have navigated through those murky waters pretty well and 2010 looks much more promising. We very much appreciate your continued support of Mercy and we know it is because of you that we will be celebrating our 7th year this February. We look forward to serving you the next seven years, to provide you with the same enthusiasm, the same passion for what we do, as we did, the day we opened Mercy.
Happy New Year to each and every one of you and my hope that 2010 brings you much health, prosperity and happiness!
Glen
Owner
