THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY
RURAL FAIRMOUNT — When Joe and Dawn Taylor started Sleepy Creek Vineyards in 2003, they started small and discovered they had to go to local voters with a liquor referendum in the then-dry Catlin Township.
Some 21 years later, the 700 vines planted on 10 acres are still producing grapes for a variety of wines for current owners Erik Plotner and his wife, Janette Figueroa.
They bought the winery in 2016 when business slowed down and Figueroa lost her job at the metal-recycling business Bryant Industries, where Plotner works as chief financial officer. They jumped at the chance to diversify their business ventures.
“We branched out,” Plotner said, about not wanting to have all their eggs in one basket.
They had been customers at the winery, but knew nothing about operating one. They thought as corporate professionals, they could figure it out.
One of the first things they recognized is how gorgeous the property is, and its 39 acres offered space for more events.
A year later, they added an event venue called The Dragonfly that Figueroa named based on Sleepy Creek’s logo. It hosts all types of events, such as proms, weddings, funerals, fundraisers and corporate retreats.
“That’s been a huge improvement,” Plotner said. Sleepy Creek also hosts an annual art and music festival.
The vineyard produces more than 35,000 bottles of wine annually and attracts locals and those visiting the area and who see the billboards along Interstate 74.
In addition to having a bed and wine, like a bed and breakfast, they are subscribed to the Harvest Hosts member network, where people who travel around in campers stay at wineries. Sleepy Creek allows any who buy wine and don’t need power or water hookups to stay the night for free in their huge parking lot.
“We get a lot of activity from that,” Plotner said, adding that sometimes they can have three to four campers there through the reservation system.
Plotner said Sleepy Creek has evolved from just “a cool, eclectic place to come to” to incorporating more of themselves, with visitors often seeing him and Figueroa there.
“We are here all the time,” he said.
He said they really enjoy the personal relationships they create with customers. At one of their recent Wieners and Wine events, Plotner even played catch with a family, since he always keeps two baseball gloves and ball in his vehicle.
Figueroa, who has a glamorous, flashy style, also loves interacting with customers, who ask where she finds her outfits.
Sleepy Creek employs about 15 people, along with volunteers from its Purple Finger Club — not to mention the resident cats, who welcome and interact with visitors.
In addition to the tasting bar and room, there also is a gift area with T-shirts, corkscrews and other items.
They have a selection of about 13 wines, ranging sweet to dry and including both whites and reds.
The winery combines agriculture (growing the grapes), manufacturing (making the wine), retail sales (selling the wine and other products) and hospitality (bed-and-wine and other events).
Plotner said they’re always keeping customers’ changing tastes in mind, and plan to add other events to ensure the facility’s longevity. He said they might also make some small changes here and there, like painting a wall or rearranging furniture, or add new music acts to keep it fresh.
“We’re just trying to not screw it up,” Plotner said.
Sleepy Creek, at 8254 E. County Road 1425 N, is open from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday; noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday; and noon to 10 p.m. Friday. More information is available at sleepy creekvineyards.com.
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