What Once Was Winezilla, Now Birmingham Wine
(Crystal A. Proxmire, April 25, 2014)
Winezilla once graced Downtown Ferndale with $15 bottles of wine, a no-snobs approach to wine-tasting, and the colorful artwork of local artist Daniel Cascardo. However in a town ripe with mead, craft beer, restaurants and bars even the business’s fun Godzilla theme could not keep them afloat.
So where is Winezilla now? Owner Ed Bosse has found a new space and a new name. Located at 588 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham Wine  is open for business. The store specializes in affordably-priced unusual wine, as well as some high-end selections.
“Twenty five years ago, every bottle of wine you could taste the artistry in it,” Bosse said. “Now production has ramped up, and there are chemicals, additives etc. It’s been a time that is good for the industry, but bad for the wine.”
That’s why he prefers to sell small-production, better quality wines. “I have to apologize to customers sometimes. You may not know any of the labels. But once you try them, you will learn to love them.”
With a simple layout and warm space, bottles are divided simply by taste. There are earthy wines, rustic wines, ripe wines and more.
There is also a section of Michigan-made products, including Cherry Republic jams, candies, and snack mixes.
Bosse said he felt sad leaving Ferndale, but that the new location offers plenty of convenient parking and is right next to the Farmer’s Market held on Sundays beginning in May.
Birmingham Wine does not yet have a website or a Facebook page. “We aren’t getting customers by being part of that noise,” Bosse said. “This is an old-fashioned, graceful store where the interaction matters. This is where people will come and get a bottle of wine that’s better than others they’ve tried before, for less, and talk about it with their friends.”