Leaving Tech World For 'Tippy Tip' of Texas By R. Daniel Cavazos |
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Yoland Feldstein left a longtime tech job in San Antonio to pursue her dream of owning and running a wine bar at South Padre Island. |
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Yolanda Feldstein spent two decades working in the technology and computing industry, with only a glimmer of interest in running her own business.
Visiting South Padre Island from her San Antonio home got her to dream. She says the Island's aura is “romantic and fun,” and sparked a fresh crop of creative thoughts for Feldstein and her husband, Zack. South Padre is where Zack proposed to Yolanda. It’s also the first real beach Zack, a Chicago-area native, ever saw. “It’s the tippy tip of the state and country,” Yolanda said of the Island being a fanciful destination.
The years in tech had worn on her, and Island life beckoned, imagining something new for the Feldstein couple. They surveyed South Padre and believed they saw a gap in dining and entertainment choices. The Island, they concluded, needed a wine bar. They’ve now finding out if their assessment of SPI’s business landscape was accurate. “We’re figuring out where we fit into that space,” Yolanda said of the recently opened SPI Wine Bar. |
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Cool Vibe The wine bar is airy and open at 2500 square feet.
There is plenty of space, and the business takes up the equivalent of two suites at the plaza on 4000 Padre Boulevard. It feels artsy, too, with the work of seven Island-area artists featured prominently on the wine bar’s south and east walls. |
| The SPI Wine Bar taps into the Island art scene as it features the artwork of seven local artists. |
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| On a late morning, the business was filled with light from another sun-splashed spring day, the hum of traffic visible through oversized windows. “Very relaxing, welcoming, with an open atmosphere,” Feldstein said, adding it’s “a very chill type of place.”
That it is. Feldstein has staked a livelihood on the new business. She’s all in on the Island. It’s where she now lives with her husband, who works remotely from home in the tech field. Feldstein enjoys conversation and meeting people, making her an ideal match for a bar business. The Island being “the Island” attracts visitors from all over. She spoke of Winter Texans, bachelorette, and birthday parties her wine bar has already hosted.
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The SPI Wine Bar features a strong selection of wines from around the world as it tries to build its inventory of Texas-sourced wines. |
| She recounted a you-never-know-what-you’d-hear bar story, sharing a conversation with two veterinarians who stopped by and informed her of breakthrough vaccines being worked on for cattle. “It’s like they say when you own a bar,” Feldstein said. “You live vicariously through others and the stories they tell you.” |
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Winning Over The Island The SPI Wine Bar is well stocked with selections from all over the world, with Feldstein working toward boosting her Texas-based inventory.
She tries for wines that are interesting and valued among aficionados rather than those commonly found in the immediate area. Feldstein is confident in the variety and quality of wines found at her business and her ability to connect with customers. There are some immediate challenges Feldstein is dealing with in establishing the wine bar. One is realizing the level of marketing and promotions it takes to make the public aware that your business exists. Second is getting a footing with year-round Island residents.
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“Locals have their loyalties,” Feldstein said. “It’s hard to break into that (aspect).”
It’s worth a try, and Feldstein is up for the challenge.
“I feel like I don’t work,” she said. “I spend lots of time here, but I don’t get tired of it. It still feels like a hobby.”
And it’s one Feldstein has had every intention of making successful given that she left her job and some immediate family members behind in San Antonio, even if their trips south have become frequent since opening her business in April. |
| The SPI Wine bar is open and airy with lots of art and space at 4000 Padre Boulevard. |
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“I wanted to do it, and I’m doing it,” she said, pursuing her small business dream. “I moved away from everyone to follow this dream. I feel that it has to be successful.” The SPI Wine Bar is open on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Thursdays through Saturdays, the hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sundays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It’s located at 4000 Padre Boulevard, and Feldstein can be reached at 210-314-9349.
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