Wine shop, tasting room coming to downtown Dubuque

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E.J. Droessler moves a custom made table into position while working on his new business, E.J.’s Wine Shop & Tasting Room located in the Millwork District in the space previously occupied by Inspire Cafe. The business will share space with Wayfarer Coffee. PHOTO CREDIT: Dave Kettering
E.J. Droessler moves a custom made table into position while working on his new business, E.J.’s Wine Shop & Tasting Room located in the Millwork District in the space previously occupied by Inspire Cafe. The business will share space with Wayfarer Coffee. PHOTO CREDIT: Dave Kettering
EJ Droessler, gets help from his nephew Michael Droessler to move a couch into position while working on his new business EJ
EJ Droessler, gets help from his nephew Michael Droessler to move a couch into position while working on his new business EJ's Wine Shop & Tasting Room located in the Millwork District in the space previously occupied by Inspire Cafe. The business will share space with Wayfarer Coffee. PHOTO CREDIT: Dave Kettering
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Posted By: BY GRACE NIELAND grace.nieland@thmedia.com December 28, 2023

You can’t put new wine in an old bottle, but there’s no rule about putting it in an old building.

E.J. Droessler intends to fully open E.J.’s Wine Shop & Tasting Room by early March at 955 Washington St. in the Historic Millwork District. The tasting room will feature a variety of local, regional and international wines with a focus on customer engagement and education.

“I want to create a place where people can come in and peruse, look at labels and ask those burning questions,” Droessler said. “You can stop in and geek out about wine with people who really know about it or just stop by for a glass after a long day.”

The shop will share the Millwork space with Wayfarer Coffee, an existing coffee shop and café owned and operated by Darin Shireman.

Wayfarer will use the space in the mornings with afternoons and evenings reserved for Droessler’s tasting room. The two businesses will coexist on the weekends, offering something for every member of Dubuque’s brunch scene.

“When I was first approached about sharing the space, I was pretty hesitant, but I met up with E.J. and halfway through the first meeting, I just knew we had to do it,” Shireman said. “I think it’s ultimately going to be a really amazing, positive thing.”

The wine shop has been a longtime goal for Droessler, but he really began to gameplan its opening two years ago when he sold his Main Street restaurant, L. May.

He’s worked since at Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery, a Jo Daviess County (Ill.) winery, to learn more about the winemaking process to be able to better engage customers and answer any questions they might have.

“I wanted that experience first. I wanted to harvest the grapes and prune the vines,” Droessler said. “I wanted to clean the barrels and learn everything I could hands on versus reading a book, so I really understood what makes a good wine.”

Droessler plans to host regular educational events at the wine shop, as well as a monthly wine club to help people try out new wines. The store also will offer a selection of local meats and cheeses, as well as “mocktails” and other nonalcoholic drinks.

Dubuque Main Street Executive Director Danielle Jacobs applauded the news of the impending opening, adding that she expects the business to complement the rest of the Millwork District.

She also noted Droessler’s prior experience opening and running L. May and how its success bodes well for his new store.

“It’s always a bonus when a successful business owner starts another venture, because you know they’re going to be able to offer the community something great,” she said.

Gift cards and wine club registrations are now available for the shop and can be obtained by emailing cheers@ejswineshop.com. Additional information and updates on the impending opening can be found online at facebook.com/ejswineshop.

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