Lori Tidick's decision to assume ownership of Vino 1910 was a natural next step. The vibrant new owner, who has been a Statesboro resident for over 25 years, has been involved in Vino 1910's evolution since before it opened in November of 2021.
"I've actually been with Vino from the very beginning," Tidick remembers.
The establishment's former owner, Michael Blackmon, met Tidick when she was working at Cool Beanz, and eventually sought her decorating advice. She worked closely with Blackmon to build the cozy, chic aethestic that Vino 1910 is now known for.
She then started buying the wines and charcuteries -- and bartended one night a week.
"I literally fell in love with being behind the bar; it makes me so, so happy to be back there," Tidick says.
One day, Blackmon approached Tidick with the offer that would change the trajectory of her life: the opportunity to buy Vino 1910. Blackmon was ready to explore other ventures, and Tidick had invested so much in the Statesboro institution that it was an easy decision to make.
"I immediately said yes, like did not hesitate," she says. "It's always felt like a little bit of me because I helped from the beginning, and he was so good at letting me learn from him."
"I do love it and I've just been so blessed by the people who he had hired who are still here but also the newcomers that have come in," she continued. "I couldn't ask for a better group of people."
The staff includes five bartenders and four people who work in the back preparing the charcuterie boards and cleaning the dishes. For the time being, Tidick will assume both roles of owner as well as general manager, so she can learn the intricacies of what she believes to be her purpose.
"I don't want to turn something over to somebody else until I know exactly how I want it to run," she says.
The wine bar has many fun theme nights to meet the needs of their varied clientele. Teacher Tuesdays offer $5 house wines all day along with discounted charcuterie boards, Wednesdays honor emergency responders and boast half price wine bottles for all, and Tuesday through Saturday, Happy Hour happens daily from 4-6pm.
Tidick is excited about new ideas such as starting wine tastings, welcoming food trucks, and bringing in experts to hold classes for would-be connoisseurs. She is also enthusiastic about running her own business in her hometown of choice.
"This is home," she states.
Vino 1910 is located at 22 W. Main St. in downtown Statesboro. It's open Tuesday-Thursday from 4-10pm and Friday-Saturday from 4-11:30pm. For more information, please visit vino1910.com.