Whether you’re looking to host a fun family outing, company team building project or a boozy bachelorette party, paint-and-sip franchise Wine & Design has it all. For franchisee Anita Lopez of Queen Creek, Arizona, the brand’s multitude of customizable class offerings have been key to making a name for herself in her local community. Wine & Design founder and entrepreneur Harriet Mills built the brand with a mission to provide unparalleled customer service, a foundation that has resulted in studios becoming home to much more than just another excuse to have a drink with the girls, but communities in and of themselves.

In addition to traditional paint-and-sip classes, Lopez’s location offers a wide array of services that can be adaptable to almost any outing. “We offer instructor-led classes and parties for both adults and kids, as well as open studios and pop-up classes,” said Lopez, who recently expanded her studio’s classes to include a new tier of fun—D.I.Y. painting classes with wood, stencils, wine glasses and more. “Pretty much anything that can be painted on, we will paint on it!”

“There is a huge community aspect with Wine & Design,” said Lopez, whose own mother and 18- year-old son help out around the business. “We’ve created a space that is not only very much family-oriented and family-run, but that also partners with schools and organizations in the area.” Lopez’s location works with the Queen Creek and J.O. Combs Unified School Districts to offer
programming for children and camps during the summer through the brand’s Art Buzz Kids division. Lopez also partners with locally-based corporations for offsite events, as well as notable local institutions like the renowned Queen Creek Olive Mill.

In addition to the diverse selection of classes, Lopez says that what draws customers back to Wine & Design is customer engagement. “We have a lot of fun and it’s a very relaxing atmosphere,” said Lopez. “Customers love that our instructors are relaxed and encourage creativity. We just want to make it a fun environment for everyone.”

Lopez often sees groups of repeat customers from local businesses—such as the Banner Ironwood Hospital and the Old Ellsworth Brewery—coming back again and again to have a fun, creative time at her store. “We work as much as we can with our regulars to get integrated into the community, make them feel at home and participate in local events,” said Lopez.

As far as the future of her store is concerned, Lopez is most excited about continuing her location’s history of unparalleled customer service and building out class offerings, including the newly introduced D.I.Y. division. “It’s really more of a ‘design-it-yourself’ program,” said Lopez. “Unlike some other franchises, where you have to go in and build something from scratch, we
offer decorative items like wooden palettes pre-made. It’s great for people of any skill level. Their focus is on the design of the pieces, making it their own and having a good time.”

The startup costs for a Wine & Design franchise range from $69,950 to $221,200. The franchise fee is $25,000. To learn more about franchising with Wine & Design, visit www.wineanddesign.com/franchise

By: Allison Stone

1851 – No Limit Agency