A downtown staple of Craig, known for its moody ambiance, creative drink menu and place for community connection, is entering a new chapter as 518 Wine Bar transitions to new ownership.

After almost five years of operating the wine bar, Kirstie McPherson has sold the business to Marco Borja, a Craig entrepreneur who owns The Flower Mine florist shop and formerly owned Sister’s Liquor, which closed its doors last week. 

The building housing the wine bar is also under contract with a separate buyer, marking a shift for one of Craig’s most unique gathering places.

For both McPherson and Borja, the transition is more about continuity than closure.

“I started the wine bar because I wanted to build a place that I wanted to hang out in,” said McPherson.

That concept took root in 2019 and grew into a unique space in the heart of Craig’s downtown where wine lovers, cocktail drinkers and community members could enjoy a quiet, intimate and “moody” setting for conversation.

McPherson is not slowing down, however, and is transitioning her focus to other ventures, including the opening of Bad Alibi Distillery. Not wanting her beloved wine bar to close, she saw an opportunity to pass the business on to someone who could continue to nurture its growth. 

“I’m really more of a builder, not a super great maintainer,” she said. “I think that the wine bar needs some fresh eyes on it to be able to take it to its next level.”

For Borja, those “fresh eyes” come with deep community roots and a vision for taking part in the business-based transformation of Craig. 

“I think the wine bar is really unique in Craig,” Borja said. “You don’t have a spot where you can just come and hang out and not be around loud people. It’s a quiet, moody place, and that’s what attracted me initially.”

The conversation around the sale of 518 rose organically between McPherson and Borja, and the plans for its future are an open topic of conversation as well. 

Borja plans to expand the drink menu to include high-end tequila, leveraging his knowledge and enthusiasm for the spirit.

“We’re going to expand into high-end tequila because that has been a trend that has been growing for the last four years,” he said. “Instead of having to buy a $300 bottle, you can come try it at the wine bar.”

Borja will also move The Flower Mine, a florist shop he acquired last year, into the front of the 518 space, bringing the shop back to its downtown origin.

“People miss it down here, and I’m excited to bring it back,” he said.

The pairing of florals and spirits may seem unconventional, but both Borja and McPherson agree that one of the keys to Craig’s future lies in creativity and diversification.

“There are so many downtown businesses that are evolving,” Borja said. “Just because several are offering alcohol doesn’t mean we’re all doing the same thing.”

McPherson pointed to other local businesses, including the Yampa Valley Brewing Co., Moffat Mercantile, and Bad Alibi as examples of how Craig’s economic base is shifting.

“We have to bring outside people in and have them leave saying, ‘Have you been to Craig? It’s really cool,'” she said. “I believe that tourism drives economic development, because that results in people coming in and wanting to have their businesses in Craig.”

For Borja, who moved several years ago from nonprofit work to business ownership, this kind of approach is natural.

“When you have somebody running a business, even if it’s your baby for 10 or 15 years, things can stop changing,” he said. “I like to see the potential in things. That’s what motivates me.”

The wine bar isn’t his first business that started through a chance conversation. Borja recalled how the Flower Mine came into his hands when the former owner came into Sister’s Liquor for boxes and asked if he wanted the business.

“I can’t say I know what I’m doing, but I’ll try,” he told them. “That’s how it came up.”

Now, he sees 518 Wine Bar as another chance to cultivate community, this time over wine, whiskey, tequila and flowers.

“I want to make it a hub for everybody of all ages,” Borja said. “A lot of people hear about wine bars and they think of older wine enthusiasts. That’s not true. There’s a lot of younger people who love wine, such as Kirstie and me.”

While McPherson admits to feeling “a lot of different emotions,” she’s at peace with the decision.

“I’m excited for Marco,” she said. “It’s not like I’m grieving a loss. I’m excited for its future, and I’m excited to watch it.”

She plans to keep her deep level of community involvement and role as a business developer going full steam. 

“My goal is to be able to create things that build community,” she said. “If I’m just doing that and staying stagnant, I’m not really doing what I’m called to do.”

With new leadership, fresh ideas and an eye towards community and collaboration, 518 Wine Bar is well situated to remain a cornerstone of Craig’s evolving downtown, one sip and one bouquet at a time.