Wondrous wine shop in Fort Worth's Sundance Square salutes the ladies
September 8,2023
See full CultureMap article by Alex Gonzalez here.
A new wine spot has opened in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square – one with the ladies in mind. Called Wines From A Broad, it's from popular Fort Worth chef-restaurateur Dena Shaskan, and features wines made entirely by women winemakers. The shop just opened at 317 Houston St., in a cute storefront that was prevously occupied by a location of the Willow House boutique chain.
Shaskan, who also co-owns Fort Worth bakery-market 3rd Street Kitchen and her fun boozy snack bar Hopscotch, says she's always thought about opening a wine bar, but wanted to find a unique angle in DFW, which already had many.
That angle: to uplift women in the industry by featuring women-owned or women-made brands: women winemakers, owners, CEOs, grape growers, and enologists. It's a growing niche, and she was thrilled to find nearly 200 brands (all of which she sampled!). She features 150 in her store.
Wines From A Broad offers wine by-the-glass, as well as champagne cocktails like Aperol Spritz and Hugo Spritz. She also offers zero-proof options such as the alcohol-free women-owned Mixoloshe seltzer.
The shop has food: a delectable Shaskan menu of small bites and snacks such as a cheese plate with dried fruit, nuts, honey, and and sourdough; chicken liver plate, with prunes and sourdough bread; and pickled shrimp with bay laurel, jalapeño, and lemon.
Sweets are woman-made, as well: a sampler of chocolates by Katherine Clapner of Dude, Sweet Chocolate from Dallas.
And extra points for her eco-friendly stance, with food served on bamboo plates and cutlery.
The space features a femme-friendly decor, with pretty-in-pink velvet tufted couches and seating, and walls bedecked with artwork by women artists, often featuring female subjects such as a pop-art-style portrait of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.
The playlist consists of anything from Taylor Swift to Tina Turner, says Shaskan.
“My husband Trent Shaskan is my business partner, but I usually tell him to get out because he likes to change the music,” Shaskan says, jokingly.
Though all genders are more than welcome, Shaskan says she hopes Wines From A Broad will be a space where women can come have a girls’ night out, as well as a place for events like bachelorette parties and baby showers. They're open Wednesday-Sunday from 3-11 pm.
“We’re very laid back,” she says. “It's not, for lack of a better word, snooty. It's about learning about the fantastic wines that are made by female leadership.”
Location Mentioned: 3rd Street Market