Interview with Karen Paloni of A to Z Fine Wine and More at Berkeley Place (near Sea Turtle Cinemas)

Written by Tamela Maxim

When did you open?

“A to Z Fine Wine and More opened in March, 2006. The location was strategically chosen because of the rapid growth in Bluffton and for its proximity and easy access to Sun City, Hwy 46, and all the homeowners along Buckwalter Pkwy. We also thought that Berkeley Place was certain to be popular because of all the attractive businesses and events there.”

When did you move to Bluffton and where are you from?

“We moved to Bluffton 5 years ago from New Castle, Delaware. We both grew up there and met while we were working in the restaurant industry. We will be married 15 years this August and have 2 children. Julia is 14 and Alex is 11.”

Why did you open this business?

“Peter has always had a love and interest in wines since he was a boy growing up in a large Italian family where even the children were given wine with 7-up at the regular Sunday family dinners.”

Did you have this kind of business elsewhere and what kinds of work have you done before?

“Peter has always been involved in the restaurant/hospitality business - everything from managing restaurants to Food & Beverage Director for the Hilton organization in Delaware - from beer salesman to area manager of the largest wine and spirit wholesaler in SC. I was a professional dancer/entertainer in theme parks and on cruise ships for many years and then taught dance for 10 years in Delaware. I also owned a dancewear retail shop for awhile before we moved to SC.”

What do you think of Bluffton?

“Bluffton and the Lowcountry are beautiful. We love the small town feel of it even in spite of all the growth. We love the fact that you can see friends whenever you stop by the grocery store or gas station. People complain about the growth and loss of trees, etc., but we don’t feel that Bluffton will ever be as built up as where most of us are originally from.”

What does A To Z Fine Wine stock and what will you offer in the future?

“We are the largest wine shop in Bluffton with over 2500 different wines, ranging in price from $2.99 up. Peter samples at least 40-50 wines every month. Everything is here for the novice wine drinker to the experienced wine connoisseur. We keep over 120 wines chilled for the last minute shopper and special orders are never a problem. We love to search out terrific new wines that our customers recommend and bring them into our store for all to enjoy. We also have a large beer selection that we are expanding weekly - everything from Budweiser to Brutal Bitter - everything from the regular well known brands to the exotic and microbrews from all over the world. We have mixers, soda, juices, snacks, wine accessories, gift cards and gift baskets. We also carry a full selection of liquor.

Clever name, how did it originate?

We named the store A to Z Fine Wine and More because we want our store to be a place where you can find it all. We’re working on expanding our snack/gourmet line and we’ll soon be offering cigars and cigarettes. Peter is always looking for new wines to keep the choices fresh and varied. Peter knows wine so well that if you want a bottle that tastes like your favorite (but very expensive) bottle - he’ll know what alternative, but less pricey bottle to buy.”

Do you have special days?

“Yes, Mondays are Military Day, Tuesdays are Seniors Day - 5% off everything in the store and 10% off any purchase totaling $150 or more. And, every day we give 5% off a case of wine (mixed cases are okay) and 10% off 3 or more cases.

What else do we need to know?

“There are wine tastings almost every Friday from 5-7 pm - usually with a theme. It’s FREE and very informative; a great opportunity to try new wines before purchasing. (check our website for the schedule)”

A to Z Fine Wine and More
owners: Karen & Peter Paloni
108 Buckwalter Pkway 843-757-ATOZ (2869)
atozfinewine@hargray.com
atozfinewine.com
Wine Hours: Mon-Thurs 10-7 Fri-Sat 10-9 Sun noon-6
Spirit Hours: Mon-Sat 10-7