CLE Urban Winery Celebrates 3 Years In Business

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — When Destiny Burns launched CLE Urban Winery, her craft winery in Cleveland Heights, she had never worked a day in retail in her life. She also knew nothing about how to make wine.

"I knew I liked drinking wine," she joked. With the help of a knowledgeable staff, support from the community, and a lot of elbow grease, Burns transformed a vacant garage on Lee Road into one of the must-visit sites in Northeast Ohio.

CLE Urban Winery is now celebrating three years in business and on Friday Burns will roll out the red carpet for customers. The third Customer Appreciation Bash will feature live music from Cody Martin (starting at 7 p.m.) and complimentary appetizers and sweets. The party will serve as a kick-off to days of festivities.

But how did Burns turn CLE Urban Winery into an anchor of the Cedar-Lee neighborhood? The journey has roots in her childhood.

Falling in Love with Cleveland Heights

Burns was born in Euclid. She grew up hanging around the east side, but remembers her time in Coventry Village most fondly. Those halycon days formed an indelible connection between Burns and Cleveland Heights.

When she graduated high school in 1982, she decided to join the U.S. Navy. Burns spent the next two decades traveling the world, bouncing around places she briefly called home, and serving her country.

After she left the Navy, in the early 2000s, she settled down in the nation's capital, working for defense companies around Washington, D.C. Her primary focus was business development. It was satisfying work.

But when Burns turned 50, she began to evaluate what she wanted from life. She wanted to open her own business, she knew that. She specifically wanted to enter the food or alcohol market. She also knew that most of her family still lived in Cleveland's east side suburbs and Northeast Ohio continued to hold a special place in her heart.

So she made the rare decision to move back to Cleveland. She hunted for homes in Cleveland Heights and found one not far from the Cedar-Lee neighborhood.

She toured the region and saw the outcropping of craft breweries. The market for unique tasting beers was crowded and jostling for position there would be difficult. There was an opening, she thought, for a craft winery though.

"If it works for beer, then why not wine?" she wondered.

Because of the location of her home, she spent many of her days walking through her neighborhood. During one of her treks she saw a vacant garage near the intersection of Cedar and Lee. Where others may have seen dilapidation, Burns saw possibility.

"It took quite a bit to make it into a winery," she said. The building didn't just need to be transformed, Burns had to hire a winemaker. She found the perfect candidate in Dave Mazzone, who earned his winemaking education in the Napa Valley before returning to Ohio and making wine in the Grand River Valley.

Burns had her winemaker and her location. She decided to launch her business.

Looking to the Future

When Burns rented her space, in December 2015, there were empty storefronts surrounding the CLE Urban Winery. Now, the Cedar-Lee district is one of the thriving neighborhoods in Cleveland Heights with numerous bars, restaurants, art spaces and other businesses lining the street.

"I like to think the investment we made was a genesis for that end of Lee Road," Burns told Patch. She praised the neighborhood's commitment to mom-and-pop businesses, one-off stores run by entrepreneurs chasing dreams. The communal drive has fostered a sense of companionship among the store owners, Burns said. And Cleveland Heights residents love to support local businesses.

With nearly 1,095 days (or three years) of business under her belt, Burns continues to delight in the eclectic mix of customers that pass through her doors and sip wine or listen to music or talk about regional happenings. On the eve of her third Customer Appreciation Bash, Burns got reflective.

"It’s pretty phenomenal. In one way it feels like the years have flown by and in one way it feels like its been thirty years," she joked. "I have a phenomenal staff. I have a lot of great support. The community has been wonderful."

So, what does the future hold for CLE Urban Winery?

"It’s about keeping things fresh and bringing new things to the game and increasing the value we bring to customers. Just because we’ve made it this far, that’s great, but you can’t rest on those laurels. We need to keep upping our game," Burns said.