Bottle & Bottega Finalizes Franchise Agreement with Local Entrepreneur to Open Tampa's First Location

The nation’s premier art and wine studio announced today that it has signed an agreement with local entrepreneur Minal Patel to open the first Bottle & Bottega in Tampa. The concept will launch in January with “Pop Up” events, and a chic and sophisticated studio to follow in the spring.

“We are thrilled to add new color to the lives of Tampa residents,” explains Minal Patel, a serial entrepreneur that has owned a number of businesses in the restaurant and hospitality sector. “Bottle & Bottega paints a whole new picture of what is possible when friends, couples and colleagues get together for a night of fun. I am looking forward to helping the community explore their creativity and uncork their inner artist.”

The Tampa location will be Bottle & Bottega’s 17th in the United States, hosting events throughout Tampa Bay and its surrounding communities.

Bringing out the creative side in all of us regardless of skill or practice, Bottle & Bottega is one part artistic adventure and one part cocktail party. Through a blend of hands-on art sessions, on-site professional instruction and, of course, a glass of wine, Bottle & Bottega helps guests create a masterpiece that they can be proud of taking home.

Initially, Patel will host public and private paint and wine events in homes, restaurants, offices, community venues and other locations throughout Tampa. Once the studio is up and running, Patel will complement her on-site art parties with in-studio events. She is already scouting studio locations in the Westchase and Citrus Park area for her permanent home.

“Minal is the ideal candidate we’ve been looking for in the Tampa area,” said Nancy Bigley, the CEO and co-owner of Chicago-based Bottle & Bottega. “Her entrepreneurial background combined with her sales and marketing skills will ensure she hits the ground running. We are excited to watch her business grow.”

Prior to signing an agreement with Bottle & Bottega, Minal served in corporate sales and marketing positions for more than a decade. In the years following, she owned, operated and managed a series of business ventures in the restaurant, hospitality and real estate sector. Throughout her career, Minal has sought out ways to share her creative passion, including creating hair bows for friends and family.

Once she discovered Bottle & Bottega, Minal knew that she wanted to bring the innovative art and wine concept to her community. She had been looking for an alternative to the bar and nightlife scene in the Tampa area. Bottle & Bottega offered the non-formulaic night out that she had dreamt of, compelling her to sign an agreement to launch her own art and wine studio in the months following.

Bottle & Bottega rose to prominence in March of 2009 with a Chicago-based mobile art studio. Founder Stephanie King-Myers developed the concept during an impromptu and inspired girls night out where she convinced a friend that painting on a canvas could be done effortlessly with the right inspiration...a glass of wine and the perfect social setting. The city and all of Chicagoland openly embraced the unique concept and its flagship studio opened a couple years later.

In 2011, Bigley, a franchise industry executive with years of success at companies such as Dunkin’ Brands, joined as CEO and co-owner of Bottle & Bottega, signaling the launch of the brand’s strategic franchise growth initiative. Today, Bigley and King-Myers, who holds the posts of president and COO, are guiding the brand’s franchise growth, leading recent openings in California’s East Bay area, San Jose, Plano and Fort Wayne.

For more information about Bottle & Bottega Tampa and to book your next event, call 813-527-0697, email Tampa@bottle-bottega.com or visit http://www.bottleandbottega.com/tampa.