“WE ARE HERE ON THIS EARTH TO DO GOOD FOR OTHERS.
WHAT THE OTHERS ARE HERE FOR I DO NOT KNOW.” - W.H. Auden
WHO WE ARE
We’re a bottle shop + experience consisting of a team of friendly people who care about the world and what it’s drinking.
Whew, that was a mouthful!
At the helm of our squad is owner Melissa Zeman. Back in 2009, Melissa said to herself, “Someday I’m going to open a wine shop that focuses on community.” Then she worked very hard and that someday became September 6, 2019. This still makes her want to open Champagne every day. Don’t tempt her. Or do.
You’ll also find Melissa’s husband Danny in the shop from time to time, usually fixing things, crunching numbers, or drinking the inventory.
Additionally, the BU team is a loyal, knowledgeable bunch: Allison, Rendi, Jake, Chelsea, Stades, and Blake. They are all a) incredible humans and b) here to help make your day better.
Aaaaaand since we have your attention, we’d like to thank all the people who have helped – and continue to help – make BottlesUp a reality. Namely, our family, friends, distributors, suppliers, vendors, delivery drivers, accountant (hi Mike!), city, community, business neighbors, Club members, and you. Turns out it really does take a village. And we’re so very grateful that you’re a part of ours.
WE ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY
...AND LIKE TO PARTY
Who are we without each other, and what is life without celebrating it?
Community and camaraderie are at the forefront of all we do. Probably because that’s what we believe the beverage industry is all about. We have an affordable wine/beer/Champagne club (which you can learn about here) and host in-person experiences 1-3 times per week (sometimes four when we feel like losing our minds a little).
At the end of the day, we simply try to make a difference, make people happy, and make sure your glass is full.
WHAT WE DO
At the very least, we sell alcohol.
Wine, beer, spirits, sake, and hard cider/kombucha/seltzers. There’s also a smattering of non-alcoholic options, wine accessories, and other goodies. We try to focus on smaller producers – especially minorities – that don’t have as much exposure in our market, and we rotate our selection weekly so there’s always something new.
Our shop is organized a bit differently than most, in that we use color to indicate the weight, or body, of the wine. What does that mean? Well, think of milk. There’s skim, 1%, 2%, and whole – light body to full body. Different wine varietals can be categorized similarly based on their characteristics. For example, Pinot Noir generally produces light-bodied wines while Zinfandel is full-bodied. Pinot Grigio is generally light, while Chardonnay is full and round.
Attaching color to this weight concept is just our way of communicating things a bit more clearly. Plus, we’ve found it encourages people to try new things. And it’s pretty.
JOIN THE CLUB
We’d call it the most interesting and affordable club in the city, but you’d just think we’re biased.
Guess what? It is and we are.
CONTACT US
phone / (773) 362-4999
email / melissa@bottlesupchicago.com
the ‘gram / @bottles_up_chicago
the ‘book / @BottlesUpChicago
carrier pigeon
LAKEVIEW EAST
3164A N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657
