LEHIGHTON, Pa. — Lehighton's first-ever tasting room—Wine & More on 1st— is getting ready for a grand opening this month.
"Just the fact that we're the first people doing this for the wine, that's nice. It kind of puts us on the map," said Tina Henninger, the owner of Wine & More on 1st.
Henninger previously had a tasting room in Palmerton that closed last year because of the pandemic.
"It made me choose. Did I want to just go, 'Oh, well, such is life. I guess I'm done.' or did I want to adapt and take some chances? And I choose to adapt," Henninger said.
With help from her husband and son, Henninger transformed the historic property formerly known as Mazuk Furniture.
Wine and More on 1st features different beverages, including beer from Cave Brewing Company in Bethlehem, 40 different types of wine from Stone Mountain Wine Cellars in Schuylkill County, local spirits, and, as the name implies, a lot more.
"I'm not a bar. I'm not a lounge. I'm family-friendly. I'm pet-friendly. If your animal is well behaved, come on in," said Henninger.
The business is currently "BYOF," bring your own food, encouraging customers to bring snacks and takeout from other neighboring businesses.
"I think Tina is the epitome of a Carbon County pride kind of person. She's going to be trying to make sure she's not only supporting our Main Street businesses but the ones beyond it as well. She's trying to make sure we were working as a team to see the revitalization of Lehighton," said Kylie Adams, assistant vice president with the Carbon Chamber & Economic Development Corporation.
Wine & More on 1st is open for business on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The grand opening is scheduled for May 20, when the staff will host a special tasting.