A Family Who Wines Together

by Elizabeth Denham

After a life of active-duty military service and living as a military brat respectively, Charlie Watkins and his daughter, Tiana Watkins, decided to put down roots and dive together into business ownership as franchisees with Waters Edge Winery & Bistro of Etown in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

“It’s great to own a business that has been be well-received by the local community,” Charlie said. “And my wife and I are looking forward to growing this business and being able to pass it down to our daughters.”

“I would love to grow our business, look at other brands and continue to grow the winery.

As a retired senior non-commissioned officer in the military, Charlie went to work at the Postal Service 14 years ago. But when Tiana graduated college in 2017 and couldn’t find a job with a good career path, they began to research the possibility of business ownership.

Together, they realized their community was lacking in a place to bring people together for some wine, food, camaraderie and atmosphere. They settled on signing a franchise agreement with Waters Edge Wineries, a California-based, innovative urban winery system bringing the cultural experience of wine to communities across the country. They offer dozens of wine selections, an eclectic food menu and elevated wine tasting experiences unique to the area. The winery also offers customized labeling and an exclusive wine club, which allows enthusiasts and novices alike to expand their expertise.

“It’s been nice to bring a franchise like this to our community,” Tiana said. “Entrepreneurship and the ability to create generational wealth, being able to learn how to manage people and create the best environment for our employees, all of this is exciting.”

Tiana makes all of the wine and manages the day-today. Her sister, Kristesha Harris, does the accounting and some administration work from Atlanta, where she lives. Charlie leads the way in the business while still working at the postal service. The best thing about their decision?

“It’s the only place where you can get away with drinking on the job,” Tiana laughed.

Despite opening in September 2020, during the pandemic, they are off to a great start.

“With COVID-19 restrictions, we have been able to open at half capacity,” Charlie said. “We have a 6,000 square foot facility with a capacity of 220, so we are at 110 capacity max. And on weekends we are getting close to that.”

Both father and daughter can’t wait for summertime.

“When the weather gets warmer, we will be able to have customers outside and expand our seating,” Tiana said.

They have worked to expand revenue streams during the pandemic by creating wine clubs and shipping wine directly to customers’ homes. Tiana also looks forward to growing their portfolio and possibly bringing Waters Edge Wineries to Georgia.

“I would love to travel, and I would eventually like to get back to Georgia,” she said. “I would love to grow our business, look at other brands and continue to grow the winery.”

To learn more about Waters Edge Wineries, visit www.watersedgewineries.com and for a closer look into Waters Edge Winery & Bistro of Etown you can visit www.wineryetown.com.