Gallery Wine Is Not Just Another Wine Shop

Some people say they get their best ideas while exercising. It’s probably safe to assume Kirkland resident Marcke Lhyle is one of them.

A little over a year ago, he and his partner Laura Hackley were out for a jog when they passed the then-vacant space on 702 Market Street in downtown Kirkland. The doors were open. Curious, the two looked inside the beautiful, old storefront. Suddenly, a vision for Gallery Wine was born and the two started planning that day.

Lhyle, a certified specialist of wine who had been on the distributor and winery sales side of the wine industry since 1990, had long dreamed of owning a wine shop.

“Wine is a passion for me,” said Lhyle, who had come to recognize how overwhelming and intimidating the large inventories and wine lists at most grocery stores and restaurants are for most consumers. “I think it’s amazing to take a grape and turn it into wine and I wanted to put the fun of wine back in it for people.”

Gallery Wines, which opened February sixth of this year, is not just a typical wine shop. “It’s a wine shop, an art gallery and a wine bar,” Lhyle explains. And after only seven months, it’s growing.

The wine shop portion of the business started with 300 different wines for sale. Already, Lhyle has expanded his inventory to 500. “I’ve tasted every wine in here,” Lhyle explains of his inventory which he carefully selects to meet a variety of tastes and occasions, whether as a food pairing, cocktail wine or special celebration. “Every wine has a reason for being here. They may not all be my favorite, but they’re all good wines that people enjoy. One of the fun things is to not just focus your business on what you like, but to expand your offerings to include what your customers like.

“There should be no intimidation in wine – that’s why I did this,” he continues. “It is incredibly interactive in here. My favorite answer when I ask what people are looking for is ‘I don’t know.’ I love trying to help people find the right wine, asking questions to get an idea of what would work and even opening a bottle to taste something with them. They get to taste this amazing thing that comes out of the earth: a bottle of wine. [That point] is something I think we lose sight of.”

Hackley, who is an artist, serves at the shop’s art consultant working with a variety of local artists to supply the shop with a gallery of vivid, interesting art. “We change the art about every sixty days,” said Lhyle.“Everything on the walls – and even my light fixtures [which are made from wine bottles] – are for sale.”

Lhyle and Hackley have three sons between them. “Our kids have gotten involved in the business, too” added Lhyle. “They are all artists, and in fact, theirs is our top selling art so far.”

The gallery area is also available to rent for events from five to 60 people. Events can be totally customized, from the art on the walls, to the catering service. And of course, the shop provides the wine.

A month ago, Lhyle completed the three-pronged approach by opening a wine bar at the front of the space. “We always have about six wines that we are pouring, as well as beer and water” he explained. “Customers can enjoy a glass or try a flight of all six wines.” Guests are invited to sit and savor their drink, or wander through the gallery enjoying the art.

To further help customers enjoy and learn about wine, Lhyle hosts a variety of regular events, including Sparkling Sundays, where he pours free tastes of sparkling wine, and Winery Wednesdays, featuring a different winery every Wednesday. “We’re focusing on wines from local wineries right now, but we’ll be featuring sparkling wines throughout November and December,” he said.

“When people come in to the store I want them to be tantalized, enjoying the tastes, smells, sounds, sights… all of their senses,” said Lhyle, who said that while he has accumulated a number of regulars, he still enjoys a steady stream of new customers who discover the shop every day. “I want them to come in here and get lost with art and wine for 20 minutes, or however long they want to spend.”

What does he see in the future? “I’d like to grow our inventory to 700 wines. And we’ll start doing live music in the bar area,” Lhyle said. “In fact, as of this weekend, we are extending our hours on Friday and Saturday nights to 9 p.m..”

In the very near future, Lhyle looks forward to celebrating Halloween with a Halloween party on Friday, Oct. 28, featuring themed wines, including Dracula and Vampire brand wines, Seven Deadly Zins and more. On Saturday and Sunday the 29th and 30th, there will be a haunted house in the back of the shop. “Parents can come in and sip some wine,” he said, “while their kids have fun in the haunted house.” The event is free, but they will be collecting canned and dry goods all three days for the food bank at Hopelink.

“This business has reenergized my love for wine,” said Lhyle. Stop by 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday or noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays to see for yourself how Gallery Wine is changing the meaning of wine shop for many Kirkland residents.