Drawing on his business background, Michael Bray didnt just open a wine ship, he built a brand.

By Alia Akkam

Michael Bray had a significant problem: When he took over Point Pub Liquors in Somers Point four years ago, his customers didn’t automatically recognize the space as a serious package goods store. Instead, they were buoyed by memories of its former incarnation, which was best known as Point Pub, the English-style eatery dishing out the best burgers in town. When the restaurant shut down, it was a challenge for locals to then equate the newfound Point Pub operation with buying wine. Luckily, Bray’s combination of passion and business acumen soon started changing those customers’ perceptions. “I saw an opportunity to turn this around,” he recalls.

Indeed, Bray did turn around Point Pub, evolving the space into a classy, full-service wine bar and retail store. In May of last year, with a renewed focus on wine, he decided it was time to re-brand the concept and became founder and director of operations of the new Passion Vines Wine Bar & Spirit Company. “Our philosophy changed. A passion for business and people was at our foundation, but we needed to grow,” he says.

Bray, who prior to the shop had a career developing projects like amusement parks and 18-hole golf courses, was able to draw on his vast management background to successfully revamp the store.

At the modern 3,000 square-foot space inside the Somers Point Plaza, customers peruse about 800 different wines which are organized by region, simplifying the buying process. While they are not devoted to one particular area (“We specialize in every great wine-growing region”), if Passion Vines’ does have a niche, it is representation of the Old World’s small growers. “We’re loyal to producers we’ve befriended along the way, but our goal is to find the best wines as our customers are incredibly knowledgeable,” Bray explains.

The most intriguing aspect of the store might be the full-size, refinished light wood wine bar in the middle of the store, encouraging customers to plop down on one of the 26 stools and sample one of the 10 to 15 bottles open at any given time. “Customers can literally try it and buy it and we can understand their taste profile,” notes Bray. These tastes could run the gamut from a $5 wine flight to a $50 Super Tuscan.

The bar also makes for a relaxed atmosphere, all the more inviting to a customer who wants to increase their wine knowledge. From basic wine essential classes running every month to intensive Burgundy sessions to informal tastings on Thursdays where a specific producer is highlighted, Bray encourages his clientele to use Passion Vines as an education forum as well.

These distinctions are what can fuel Passion Vines’ growth, even in certain economic times. The off-premise might not be hurting as strongly its on-premise counterparts these days, but Bray says he is mindful of it and notices the trend of his customers choosing selections with lower price points. But, more importantly, they are still shopping.

“With our new name change it’s been an incredible grassroots effort. We see new people come in all the time,” Bray points out.

What can fans of Passion Vines look forward to in 2009? Soon they’ll be jazzing up their wine bar offerings with a menu of 15 complementary cheeses that will add an important culinary dimension to featured wines. And, Bray’s decision to build a distinctive brand has clearly worked; be on the lookout for their new outpost opening in Egg Harbor Township later in the year.