Dallas Does It Different

No need to grab your boots and spurs and travel to the Lone Star State, because it's Dallas, Ore. that's got the goods - plus groceries, to be exact.

The fact that a grocery store is selling wine is commonplace. Nothing special about that. It's how the Dallas Market is selling wine that has owners Paul Marsell and Ken Mayer, as well as winery owners excited.

Marsell and Mayer have allotted 20 spots - each four feet long - for local wineries like Namasté, Left Coast, Van Duzer, Airlie, Emerson, Kathken, Firesteed, Ankeny, Johan and more. The store will not price the wine; the winery will control the price, and take home all of the revenue.

What's in it for Marsell and Mayer? A $100 monthly fee to rent the space. That's it.

"We want to move as much product as possible," Marsell said. "In many cases, we will be local restaurants' source for regional wines."

This is a unique concept. Stores usually buy wine at wholesale prices and then mark it up to retail. With Marsell and Mayer's strategy, the wineries take out the distributor and essentially sell direct.

Wineries move wine; the market increases foot traffic; you find good wine at, hopefully, good prices.

It's a win-win-win.

Dallas Market is located at 121 S.W. Oak Street. Call 503-623-5762 for more information.