Things look different for Tony Marin these days.
For more than two decades, Marin made a career as a creative director in the advertising industry. But the Kansas City native said he’s always had a passion for wine.
Now he gets to spend his days introducing new wines to others. His new wine bar, Vintner, opened its doors in Westwood in March.
Vintner is now open at 4711 Rainbow Blvd.
- The wine bar took over a space on the ground level of the Woodside Village development in Westwood, near Blue Sushi Sake Grill and Unforked.
- Women’s boutique Luna — under the same ownership as nearby men’s clothing store Ulah — previously occupied that space.
- Vintner is open from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Vintner offers “wine made easy”
The rotating menu at Vintner offers a list of roughly 12 wines by the glass. Vintner also offers wine flights, for which people can select three different wines to try for $12.
On the retail side, Vintner has a selection of more than 80 wines on its shelves for customers to try — reds, whites, rosés, you name it.
Marin said the idea is that customers can enjoy a glass or a bottle, and if they try something new that they like, they can take a bottle home, as well. (The wine bar’s name, Vintner, is also another word for a wine merchant.)
“It’s kind of set up like a California-style tasting room,” Marin said. “It’s really about coming in and exploring fun, interesting wines.”
Marin said Vintner’s selection focuses largely on organic products, at a more affordable price point than what customers might normally expect.
Some upscale wine bars ask $20 for a glass, but this is not that, Marin said. On Vintner’s menu, you typically won’t find a glass of wine priced above $15.
“We wanted to be approachable and affordable,” Marin said. “A lot of times (at other wine bars), it could be $18 or $20 for a glass of wine, and you feel like you have to really commit. For people who may not know that much about wine, that’s a lot to invest in a glass.”
Vintner is Marin’s first business
In addition to wine, Vintner also offers a limited selection of beers and spirits. Later down the line, Marin hopes to add some charcuterie boards and other small plates to the menu.
When deciding where to open his new concept, Marin said he knew he wanted to aim for Westwood or Fairway because they felt like centralized locations — and also to bring something new to the area.
While Kansas City, Missouri, and Overland Park have plenty of wine bars to choose from, he thought that northeast Johnson County could use some more options of its own.
Since his wine bar’s opening, Marin said the community has responded enthusiastically to what Vintner has to offer.
“So far, it’s been great, especially as more people are starting to learn about it,” Marin said. “I’ve had a pretty steady customer base.”
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