You might have to see it to believe it: Over the past year or so, the proprietors of the Oxbow Public Market have managed to attract a growing crowd of Napa families—on Tuesday nights, no less. When the market first opened in late 2007, it had a bad case of the midweek doldrums and with nearby COPIA closed on Tuesdays; market merchants complained that it was their worst sales day of the week. Of course, COPIA is now closed every day, but Tuesday—now dubbed “Locals Night”—has become the evening to meet at the Oxbow, with live music and door-buster deals on burgers, beers and oysters.
The action starts at 5 p.m., when Taylor’s Automatic Refresher offers specially priced burgers and suds, and Hog Island Oyster Company starts its $1-oyster happy hour. There’s quickly a line out the door at Taylor’s, while Hog Island’s bar and tables also fill up swiftly; fortunately, there are community tables and chairs in the market’s main hall, where groups can gather to enjoy whatever they’ve decided to eat. A savory soup or maize sandwich from Pica Pica? Porchetta from Rotisario? And perhaps a glass of wine from Folio Enoteca, which you can even carry with you as you shop (it’s not unusual to see a Napa mom or two with glass in one hand, stroller handle in the other, perambulating the market’s spacious aisles).
Around 6 p.m., the live music begins. Oxbow’s Kari Worth, who books the bands, has been working with a local radio host to promote the appearances and says once the weather warms, we can expect to have more music on the spacious riverside deck. I’ve heard some outstanding jazz at the Oxbow, and the small groups have been attracting increasingly attentive crowds. Along with the free live music, the market’s Tuesday locals night offers other entertainment: Little kids toddle and scoot across the concrete floor, often gathering in awestruck groups to gaze at the enormous Dungeness crabs in the tank at Kanaloa Seafood. Shoppers browse among more than 400 spices and blends at Whole Spice, tasting free samples of mixes with names like Zhug (spicy!) and Zahtar (nutty). The baristas at Ritual Roasters aren’t as busy as the oyster-bartenders at Hog Island, but order a cup of “Clover coffee” and watch them operate their $11,000 Clover machine, which makes one ultra-flavorful cup at a time. Prefer leaves to beans? You could have a pot of tea brewed for you by the tea master at Tillerman Tea Company.
Along with the families, who generally wind up their evening with some organic ice cream from Three Twins, locals night has also begun attracting Napans of virtually all ages who stroll, eat and chat at the common tables. Folks seem to be realizing that if they want to keep the market in Napa, they need to spend some time and money there—and the market, with locals night and other promotions like the Friends of Oxbow discount card, is working to make sure residents know it’s not a tourist trap, but a public gathering place with businesses that serve the community. The message appears to be reaching people: One couple from American Canyon told me, as they shopped for spices, that they want to support the market more than ever now that COPIA has closed its doors in bankruptcy. That’s a sentiment I’ve heard from others, as many Napans respond to the recession by resolving to keep as much of their money in the local economy as possible.
Meanwhile, area businesses continue to contract. Not far east of the market on First Street—but separated from the western end of the street by bridge construction that’s likely to last till late in the year—the venerable JV Beverage Warehouse has consolidated its sommelier staff. Meryll Cawn has been downsized, with Jon Sevigny taking on her duties as well as his own. But after more than seven years working together, this team is not splitting up. Instead, it’s aiming to make the most of the economic downturn with two independent enterprises, WineThinkTank.com and RentaSomm.com, to offer wine-related consulting services to wineries, tasting rooms and other businesses.
The pair’s main focus has initially been WineThinkTank.com, for which Cawn is the lead partner and Sevigny the supporting consultant. “We can take the concept of the winery from the inception all the way down to the end, and we can fill it in,” explains Sevigny, whose long career at JV Beverage Warehouse has made him, with Cawn, among the valley’s most visible and respected sommeliers. “For the past seven years, we’ve been doing this for free, at JV,” he continues. “If you just need help with one thing, we can help you with that, too,” Cawn adds. “It’s one-stop shopping,” with access to sales, marketing imaging and branding, wine club and tasting room management and direct sales—even winemakers for help with blending.
The partners’ second enterprise, Rent-a-Somm, is designed to be an educational and networking website that also offers a menu of consulting services: “You can hire a wine expert, a sommelier, a beer expert, a spirits expert or a mixologist to come and do a party or train your staff or work and plan an event for you,” explains Cawn. Rent-a-Somm experts are also available to help restaurants and bars write their wine, beer and spirits lists and create original cocktails.
In a downsizing industry, Sevigny observes, “It’s really important that people still have access to information, wine lists and consulting. If you’re getting rid of your sommelier or your buyer, we come in and train your staff and then take care of the list for you.” Cawn adds, “Your customers still want someone who can sell them something and knows what they’re talking about. If you can’t afford to have someone full-time, maybe you can afford someone to come in once or twice a month.”
