Margy: Hi, welcome to A Few Minutes with Margy. I’m Margy Lyman with Dudum Real Estate Group in Danville, and I’m here at Wine Hardware in Walnut Creek with owner Cari Vecchia.

Cari: Hi, nice to meet you.

Margy: Nice to meet you too! This is a beautiful store. I understand you just got back from Italy?

Cari: Yes! It was a trip of a lifetime, and we’re hoping to start bringing in some imports from wineries we loved.

Margy: That’s exciting! But your focus is wine hardware, right?

Cari: Yes! We’re a one-stop shop for wine. We design and build custom wine cellars, provide wine racking, refrigerators, cabinets, and accessories. In 2021, we started selling boutique wines from small, family-run wineries that don’t have big marketing budgets.

Margy: That’s fantastic. And you and your husband, Mike, have a deep history with this business?

Cari: Yes! Mike went to Cal Poly, minored in viticulture, and started working here in 2001 as the first employee. When the previous owner retired in 2014, he asked if we wanted to take over. That same year, we got married and bought a house—quite a whirlwind!

Margy: What a story! And now you’re supporting other small family-owned businesses.

Cari: Absolutely. Mike got me into wine, and I’ve been studying it too. I’m preparing for my WSET wine certification. It’s a family business through and through.

Margy: And you have the cutest employee, Carl!

Cari: (Laughs) Yes, our mini Aussie! He’s our store mascot and loves meeting customers.

Margy: One of the first things I noticed in your store was the innovative wine rack design.

Cari: Yes! We rotate bottles so you see the label instead of just the cork. Display rows and modern racking like acrylic and metal are trending now, in addition to classic wood cellars.

Margy: I also learned that there are refrigerators specifically for red wine.

Cari: Yes! Ideal wine storage is 57 degrees for both red and white wines, but dual-zone fridges allow for slightly colder whites.

Margy: You bring a lot of passion to this business. What’s the customer experience like when purchasing a custom wine cellar?

Cari: We provide a personalized experience from start to finish. Our specialists ensure top-quality installations, and we guide customers through the entire process.

Margy: You work with a variety of clients?

Cari: Yes, from restaurants and wineries to individual collectors. We ship nationwide and even internationally—recently, we installed racking in Asia!

Margy: That’s impressive! And you’re launching a wine club?

Cari: Yes! By the end of the year, we’ll offer quarterly memberships with six- or twelve-bottle options. Members will gain access to boutique wines, exclusive events, and pickup parties where they can meet winemakers and connect with fellow wine lovers.

Margy: That sounds amazing! How can people reach you?

Cari: We’re on Instagram (@CellarsAndWine), Facebook (@WineHardware), and Pinterest for wine cellar inspiration. Our website is winehardware.com. We’re open Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and weekends by appointment.

Margy: That’s great! I’ll include all this information below. I think you’re about to get your first wine club member right here!

Cari: (Laughs) Thank you! This was so fun.

Margy: I love this spot. Thank you so much!