Fion Wine Room, 7486 State Route 117, Huntsville, will celebrate three years of business as of April 1, 2020.
Mike and Stacy McVan, owners who live in Dublin, bought the property at the end of 2015.
“We always wanted to do something like this — we just didn’t know where,” Mike said.
The inspiration for the business came from family. Stacy grew up on a farm and her father wanted to sell his farmhouse, but not to a stranger.
“So he sold it to his niece and helped her set up Sycamore Lake Wine Company which has been open for about seven years now,” Mike explained. “It’s phenomenal and we always wanted to do something like that.”
So when the time came, the whole family pitched in to help the McVans establish Fion.
“We both wanted to do it when we would come to the lake in summer — there just weren’t quiet places to go around here and we wanted to create a place we enjoyed. Being from Dublin, there are a lot of places around there, (but there) are just none here.”
Then they found the property for sale.
“We’d be up here in the summertime anyways,” Mike said.
But they did not open Fion without challenges.
The McVans were initially told by the state that they could obtain a liquor license for their business, but were later told they couldn’t when they applied due to the township being a dry one.
But that did not deter them.
“We got signatures on a ballot and got us where we are today,” Mike remembered. “It took about a year. The state dragged and dragged their feet.”
But once the proper permissions the McVans opened Fion April 1, 2017.
And Fion keeps them busy.
“My wife and I always joke and tell each other we’re never going to retire — there’s just always something to do,” Mike said. “We always have something on our plate or our calendar.”
Mike said he most likes being able to work for himself.
“I hear friends’ stories about corporate America and the fear of losing their jobs and I think the only reason I’ll fail is because of me — if I don’t get up and go to work,” he said.
He also enjoys the flexible work schedule for the sake of his family. The McVans have two children, Charly, 10, and Judge, 7.
And business, Mike said, has been “remarkably good.”
“You have a local winter and a local summer crowd,” he said. “They are two totally different crowds though.”
The pull to Fion is the atmosphere.
“It’s nice, it’s quiet, it’s relaxing and I tell people it’s like riding a go cart,” Mike said. “(Do) you ever see someone riding a go cart without smiling? It’s relaxing.”
The highlight of Fion’s atmosphere, Mike said, is the fireplace.
“Everybody goes to that fireplace,” he said. “One of these days I’m thinking about putting another one in here somewhere.”
Fion’s clientele is mostly retired and semi-retired people with disposable incomes.
“It’s a nice place to go with friends,” Mike commented.
Although Fion’s doesn’t get a lot of the younger crowd, Mike said he is definitely open to them joining his usual customers.
One can get a nice bottle of wine for $20 and a nice glass of wine for $6 or $7.
There are more expensive choices, as well, with $80 to $100 bottles available.
In addition to wine, there are also seasonal drinks including peach and apple cider wine slushies, mulled spiced wine, chocolate martinis, specialty drinks, beer and bourbon.
“We have nice high-end bourbons that are very affordable for what they are,” Mike said.
Fion also offers small plates including meat and cheese trays, spinach arti- choke appetizers and more.
It also has catered-in dinners of barbecue ribs or chicken that have to be pre-ordered for Saturdays.
There is also a small merchandising area with specialty gifts.
And the property sits on a driving range open mostly year round — with the exception of December, January and February due to weather.
Mike said he hopes to make that a little better for the spring by possibly building a new structure for the golf course.
Fion can be rented out Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and is open to the public from Thursday through Saturday from noon to 9 p.m.
The main room seats 100 people and the patio seats between 40 and 50.
Fion also has a party room that can be rented out for parties, banquets and showers that seats between 50 and 60 people.
For information about renting a room or about Fion contact 686-0035.
