Photo Courtesy of Jill Leavey

For many students, the impending uncertainties of post-undergraduate life are a very real and very stressful reality that consumes their thoughts and conversations. Will I make enough money to pay off my student loans? How long will I stay at my first job? What will my biology degree do for me? Rest assured, these concerns are legitimate and students have been grappling with them for decades. 

Two Hofstra alumni, Lynn Mione and Steven “Doc” Lanciotti ’87, are familiar with these same uncertainties and are now the proud owners of The Vine Wine Bar located in Merrick, New York. With no experience in the service industry, the two childhood friends trusted their guts and each other and began their venture into the vast world of wine. Mione describes her roles as being a human resources, marketing and creative director; whereas Lanciotti handles the finances and operations that keep the bar running smoothly. 

Mione, who attended Hofstra in 1992 for two semesters, took a “leap of faith” in 2009 when she decided to pursue her dream and open a wine bar close to her hometown. She had previously served in upper-level management positions for various fashion retailers over the course of two decades, with her most recent stint being at Levi Strauss. 

Dissatisfied with the corporate world, Mione contacted Lanciotti and proposed that they channel their entrepreneurial tendencies and become their own bosses. “I had a big career. Basically I woke up one day and said, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore,’” she said. 

“I think it might have been perceived as a midlife crisis,” Mione recalled, reminiscing on when she first told people that she quit a “cushy” career that provided her with a stable, six-figure salary. 

Lanciotti didn’t have as much to risk but that did not affect his commitment. “I was always fully employed,” he said in contrast to Mione whose sole focus is on The Vine Wine Bar. Over the course of his 20 years of experience in sales and customer service, he has been able to hone his entrepreneurial skills. But despite his position as “CFO,” he can still be found cleaning in the kitchen or bussing tables. “You’re here every day, whether it be to wash a dish, or paying the bills,” he said about the humbling experiences being a small business owner. It’s your responsibility. It’s not like, ‘Oh, the next shift will do it.’ There’s no passing the buck.”

Well, why wine? “I was set on wine because there is this perception that wine is very pretentious,” Mione explained. “I wanted to bring a very approachable way to experience wine. I wanted it to be casual, but upscale. There’s a way to have a very nice environment and not be stuck up about what you’re drinking.” 

The Vine Wine Academy offers classes for aspiring sommeliers – or those just looking to dabble in reds, whites and rosés. The nine-person staff can help guide any wine novice through seemingly overwhelming terms like “undertones,” “tannins” and “oaky” in an approachable manner. In addition, the bar boasts a robust selection of spirits and small plates for the non-wine-drinking customers.

There was a slight learning curve when they first opened. “People are very surprised that we don’t have a huge French selection on our wine list. We cater to the customers’ palettes.” They quickly learned how vital it is to stay up to date with industry trends. As a result, The Vine Wine is able to accomodate customers who request gluten-free or organic options.

At The Vine Wine Bar, it’s personal. “Although we are business-minded people, the other part of it is community and family. It is a personal venture, not just a business venture,” Mione said. 

At any given moment, they estimate that they know at least a third of their customers on a first-name basis. They stressed that their customers are the types of people they would invite over for a barbecue, or celebrate a holiday with. “We created something that is almost an extension of our living rooms,” Lanciotti said. They are almost quite literally in their living rooms, as their hometown of North Bellmore is just a stone’s throw away from the spot.

This mentality, combined with their humility and commitment to the community, is perhaps the key to their success. “I think the approach of using our heart first and spreadsheet second has done well for us,” Mione said. 

She stressed that new graduates in particular shouldn’t be deterred by the type of degree they earned, so long as they have a passion for business. “If you spent four years in school, getting a degree that you don’t want to pursue [after graduation], there are a lot of things that you have experienced that you could apply to different business. It’s not always apples to apples.”