SNOHOMISH — Washington Public Market and Wine Cellars of Washington have pushed back their opening weekend from Oct. 15 and 16 to Nov. 12 and 13.
An email sent Sept. 27 to market vendors and wineries from market developer Scott Swoboda states: “We regret to inform you that we must postpone the opening of the Washington Public Market and Wine Cellars of Washington until the weekend of Nov. 12 and 13.
“This is a decision that is beyond our control. The buildings are essentially done, as most everyone knows and has seen. We are fully booked in the market, nearly all booked in the wine cellars area and have been working on assigning everyone their spaces.
“The only problem we have is that the majority of the wineries may not have their tasting room licenses issued by the state by the original October opening date...”
“ ... People are coming, and will come from hundreds of miles around, and we will not open and disappoint people that are coming near and far to see and buy the whole package. We do not want to water down the opening and try to bring people back that we have disappointed...”
“ ... If we don't open with all the wineries, the public will be upset, a large and upscale portion of the buyers that come will be upset ... possibly, irrevocably damaging the market in the long term...”
“ ... It is a choice we had to make, and a costly one for us. ... Thank you for your kindness, support and understanding through this process...”
Swoboda emphasized that the Washington State Liquor Control Board "bent over backwards" to process the wine-tasting applications it received in a timely manner.
"It's disappointing to us," he said. "We're all booked and ready to go, but we can't open with only three wineries. I don't believe in 'soft' openings."
Washington Public Market and Wine Cellars of Washington were developed by Swoboda and were featured in the September issue of the Snohomish County Business Journal. The buildings sit across from each other in the 1000 block of Second Street in downtown Snohomish.
Learn more about Washington Public Market and Wine Cellars of Washington online at www.winecellarsofwa.com.
