Eric Williams said the inspiration for Bronzeville Winery hit him during the pandemic.
“At Mariano's it became ‘Club Mariano's,’” Williams said. “I mean, it was like music, it was DJs. And so I'm like, if people are getting down in Mariano's in aisle five, this can work permanently.”
Now, as they approach the two-year anniversary of their wine bar and restaurant) at 44th and Cottage Grove, Williams and co-owner Cecilia Cuff say they hope their success can serve as a beacon for other business owners considering an opening on the South Side.
“There are people that generationally want what we offer, but they leave the community to be able to access those things,” Cuff said. “We shouldn't have to go downtown or to the North Side or out of the state to be able to have the same experience.”
“What Wicker Park is now, it's not what it was 25 years ago,” Williams said. “For me, what's as important to us as a business is the inspiration that it can have for other people to see that this is possible on Cottage Grove.”
Rundown podcast host Erin Allen talked with Cuff and Williams about winning the 2024 Jean Banchet award) for best hospitality, the priority they put on serving Black-owned wines, and how they’re investing in the community of Bronzeville.
