Brand: City Winery Riverwalk

Photo credit: Rita Chen

Challenge:

Launch a new location for City Winery at the Riverwalk (navigating city politics along the way).

The call came from the City of Chicago about an opening on the new Chicago Riverwalk. After extensive research, rigorous financial projections, and close partnerships with the city, I successfully mapped out a plan to launch a new City Winery location there, and pitched the idea to our CEO.  

With his green light, I kicked into gear, managing everything from strategy to execution (including vendor selection, signage, marketing materials, even furniture options). 

The result?

What started as a summer outpost location is now a permanent fixture of the Chicago Riverwalk, generating millions for the organization in additional revenue.  The success of this location didn’t just benefit City Winery, but the city of Chicago as well -- leading to a long-term partnership and collaboration that continues to this day. As a surprise gift, I had a table named after me!

Photo credit: Rita Chen