MUSCATINE, Iowa – Connoisseurs and rookie wine tasters alike will enjoy the relaxing scenes and flavorful blends offered at Wine Nutz.

The wine store and lounge opened on Oct. 3, at 208 W. Second St. in Muscatine.

“Our whole goal is to make it comfortable, relaxing and fun,” co-owner Herman Ferreira, 58, said. “We want to make it feel like you’re in your living room.”

The high-top chairs and tables, plush chairs and low lighting were part of that “comfortable vibe,” along with a patio facing the river equipped with speakers and soft music.

An idea uncorked

Ferreira said he had no intention of getting back into retail after owning the Quizno’s restaurant on U.S. Highway 61.

It’s stressful, long hours and lots of labor, he said. But when his daughter, Erin, and her fiancé, Gary Ronzheimer, told he and his wife, Luann, about a recent visit to a Quad-Cities wine shop and suggested they start their own, the Ferrieras took the idea seriously.

“I went up and looked through the gates,” Ferreira said of the location in Muscatine’s Pearl Plaza that was formerly occupied  by an art gallery.“I had to get convinced to go back into retail.”

After Herman and Luann Ferreira did some research with co-owners, Dawn and Barry Pence, also of Muscatine, the four dove at the opportunity.

“One minute it was gutted, the next it was a wine store,” Ferreira said of the three-month location overhaul.

The name, which was the kick-start of the Wine Nutz image, came from a simple jab. After seeking advice from a decorator who recommended used and rustic-looking decor,  Luann Ferreira and Dawn Pence picked up some old windows in a refuse heap.

“They brought these windows home and I said, ‘You two are nuts. You’re wine nuts,’” Herman Ferreira said about thier decorating passion. “They said, ‘That’s it! We’ve got a name.’”

Nuts and bolts

The wine for Wine Nutz is supplied by liquor distributors in Iowa, Ferreira said, and with the growing popularity of wineries, he said he hopes to incorporate many Iowa wines as his stock increases.

“There’s not many of these places in Iowa, especially around these parts,” Ferreira said.

In addition to wine, the business sells gourmet-glazed nuts, which Herman Ferreira calls a great compliment to wine.

The day-to-day work is calming, he said, and all four of partners are enjoying the entrepreneur’s life.

Employee Becky Loos, 35 of Muscatine, said she’s just “getting into wine,” but everyone is in the same boat.

“Everyone’s learning and it’s exciting,” she said. “We have a lot of compliments on the store itself. It’s neat to hear their [customer] feedback and many are excited to come back.”

Herman Ferreira said wines purchased in the store can be opened and sampled, and customers are welcome to taste test the weekly rotated feature wine.

“I love it,” Ferreira said of his new business. “My goal is to attract people to wine, but also to attract people to Pearl Plaza. We have some great local shops here.”