Salud, Amor y Tiempo! Addictive Boutique Brings a Touch of Spain to Jackson HeightsOct. 21, 2017
http://ediblequeens.ediblecommunities.com/drink/salud-amor-y-tiempo-addictive-boutique-brings-touch-spain-jackson-heightsEast Elmhurst’s commercial lifeblood courses through Northern Boulevard, a bustling corridor of Latin American eateries, small businesses and car dealerships. At the corner of 87th Street, two improbable entrepreneurs have established a tranquil haven for local wine connoisseurs.
When I stop by Addictive Boutique Winery, proprietors Francisco Diaz and Patrick Duong are preparing for a routine Friday night wine tasting.
“I moved to Jackson Heights twenty years ago when I started attending FIT,” says Diaz. “I fell in love with the neighborhood. I never left.”
Diaz initially envisioned the boutique as a clothing store. After several months of poor sales, an employee suggested converting to a wine shop.
“I did not want to open a liquor store, so we decided to focus solely on small-batch wines,” says Diaz. In the same year, Diaz trained to become a certified sommelier. “It was a big change and a huge commitment but we were ready.”
Addictive began with a focus on Spanish wines in large part due to Diaz’s partnership with neighboring Despana Brand Foods, a family-owned chorizo manufacturer and Spanish culinary goods importer since 1971.
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