Meet Amanda Morrison | Owner, Chef, & Sommelier

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Morrison and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was very lucky in my pathway to ownership. I was in a sales/management position at a new restaurant and we exploded with requests for in-house events and offsite catering. We couldn’t manage the volume within the space of the restaurant, but the owners saw an opportunity to open a new enterprise and offered me ownership in the venture. I have always been a hard worker, but knowing that my efforts were now going to something of my own was absolutely game-changing.

It was a wild ride to grow our first hospitality businesses, but when the pandemic hit I realized that while they were successful they weren’t quite fulfilling my passion for wine and creating smaller, intimate experiences. I was again lucky to have incredible partners who supported my dreams and I was able to sell my equity to go out on my own.

Poco Vino happened almost entirely by accident- I knew I wanted to create something around sustainable, small-production wine (a segment that was largely missing from our local hospitality scene) but I didn’t have a clear vision of the concept. Completely by chance, a friend of mine who is an interior designer asked if I had a minute to look at a space she was designing to give some feedback. Once I stepped into this beautiful historic brick building and saw the greenhouse in the back, everything immediately clicked into place and I could see it all- a wine retail shop in the front, a casual lounge area, and candlelit dinners at a family-style table in the greenhouse.

The first two years have been full of pivots as we navigate the challenges of bringing something new to our community and dealing with the extreme seasonality of foot traffic in our area of town but as we enter year three we finally have some great data to reference as we continue to dial in to what success looks like both on and off-paper.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Poco Vino is an absolute dream come true for me. Within these 150-year old brick walls I get to create an environment where we share great food and wine to celebrate both big moments and everyday escapes. Our goal is always to be exceptional and approachable- it truly feels like I am entertaining in my own home and I want everyone who crosses our threshold to feel welcomed.

The wine industry as a whole has not always been so approachable and inclusive, so we have a very strong focus on education and representation so people not only feel comfortable, but confident as they explore new styles and regions. We offer experiences in a wide range of formality and price points, from more lecture style educational classes to casual tableside tastings and flights to elaborate multi-course wine dinners. This internal programming allows us to build more foot traffic in the off-peak times, bring new people into the space for memorable experiences (making them more likely to come back!) and by documenting it all on social media, it builds a little FOMO for people who haven’t visited us yet.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Tallahassee is growing by the second and there is a beautiful mix of new concepts and old standbys.

For a Bite:
Black Radish, a vegetable-forward restaurant with a killer natural wine list. Say hello to Beverage Manager, Mitchel Rosborough – a Poco staff alum!

La Tiendita, an authentic Mexican restaurant that never fails to remind me of some favorite meals in Oaxaca and Mexico City

Shell Oyster Bar- an unfussy, cash only raw bar that has been open for 75 years and has the best fried shrimp on the planet. The best part is it’s BYOB so you can enjoy one of our many great local beers or do what I like to call “high/low” and bring a bottle of Grower Champagne (from Poco Vino of course!) to go with your oysters.

For a Drink:
Bar 1903 is a gem in our downtown. They have an extensive cocktail list that chronicles the history of mixed drinks through its extensive menu- an homage to its bespoke home in a historic library.

Clusters & Hops- the original wine destination in Tallahassee. For almost 30 years the owner Kent has been the steward of a small but mighty wine community that is always willing to help nurture and educate the next generation. I learned more here in the early day of my wine journey than any book or test could ever teach me.

Charlie Park, a rooftop bar that overlooks our beautiful Cascades Park complex, for a sunset cocktail with the best views in town.

To Shop (from all woman-owned businesses!)

Rare Bird is a dreamy antique furniture and home decor store that specializes in mid-century modern finds. Owner Jackie has an incredible eye and scores the most insane items from all around the southeast.

Hearth & Soul is a full lifestyle store that has everything from clothing and jewelry to home decor, kitchen and pantry items, and bookstore all in one beautifully designed space setup to look like the rooms of a home. They have been a wonderfully supportive team of women I’ve had the honor of partnering with since we both launched our first businesses.

Social Kitchen is a gourmet butcher shop and market that specializes in “counter catering” to make dinner or a hosting small party in your home a breeze. It’s also owned by my former business partner, Angela Walker, who is one of the most talented people I know.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have been extremely lucky to find support and inspiration from some amazing women in my field. Susan Turner and Velma Proctor are two Tallahassee hospitality legends, both opening successful catering companies and restaurants with decades-long success. It was from them both that I learned the difference between “serving” and “entertaining” and I became enamored with the idea of the entire food and beverage experience- from how the table looks to how the food is plated to how your guests *feel* while they are with you.

When I decided to enter the wine industry, there was not a community of women in the space locally but I was blown away by the time, advice, and support I received by reaching out to other women who were trailblazers and giants in a largely male-dominated field. Sarah Pierre of 3 Parks Wine Shop in Atlanta, Victoria James of Cote in New York City and Miami, and so many others took the time to answer my questions, give advice, and generally cheer me on as I navigated this new space.

Women-owned wine shops and businesses seemed to explode during the pandemic, and through social media it feels like we have formed our own little club. The support is palpable, you just know everyone is rooting for each other and creating a real momentum to shift the industry.

Website: https://www.pocovinowine.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pocovinowine/

Image Credits
Alex & Chelsea Workman, We Are The Workmans