Inspiring Conversations with Coly Den Haan of Vinovore

Today we’d like to introduce you to Coly Den Haan.

Hi coly, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have worked in the hospitality most of my life, in most every aspect but most passionately about wine. I fell into becoming a Sommelier in 2007 and instantly felt it was my mission make wine accessible and less pretentious than my previous perceptions. I opened my first wine bar, The Must in 2008 in the up and coming Downtown LA. After losing the bar a few years later due to a bad lease and landlord (important lessons were learned). I went on to co-own and open Perch, a massive rooftop venue and a big leap from my bustling little wine bar. After several years operating bars and restaurants, and frankly being burnt out on that side of the industry, I decided to sell my shares. I wanted to go back to my roots and what made me passionate about this business in the first place, opening a retail wine shop seemed like the most natural progression. Seeing that there and many great wines shops in LA, I knew I had to set myself apart and also wanted to create something that meant something to me both personally and to my community. This is how Vinovore was born! The first wine shop ever to focus on only women winemakers and winery owners with a fun emphasis and cool gifts and goods.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been so very bumpy! With opening my first business in my twenties, it’s beyond safe to say many mistakes have been make. Starting a business is hard. All the stars need to align, timing, location, concept, staff have to be right and sometimes even then there’s no guarantees. Then you can add not being born independently wealthy and being a woman in a male dominated field to the list and things can get really tough. From bad leases and contracts, jealousy and sabotage, fraud and hacking, pandemics and disasters, copycats and intense competition to recessions and tariffs this industry isn’t for the faint of heart. As incredibly hard all my failures have been, especially at the time, it has definitely shaped who I am as a business woman today, so as they say, no regrets.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Vinovore?
Vinovore is a wine and goods shop specializing in women winemakers, along with natural, organic and biodynamic wines and highly curated goods.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Can’t stop, won’t stop has alway been my motto. I tend to have a blind faith in myself and my projects, many times to my own detriment but it keeps me going. You have to have a thick skin in business and be prepared to bounce back from whatever life throws you because it absolutely will.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vinovore.com