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Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Vintage Enthusiasts: George Lopez, left, and Alan Gragnani will hold the grand opening of their new business, The Wine Library, Dec. 1. Lopez is head of operations, and Gragnani is the general manager of sales.
Public Citizens
New downtown business' owners hope to entice Campbell's winers
By Erin Mayes
Alan Gragnani and George Lopez say they're bringing something to Campbell that's never been seen before--a Wine Library.
Like many winery tasting rooms, it will offer tastes of wine and wine-related products at its new location at 379 E. Campbell Ave. But the co-owners say they've searched high and low to bring never-before-seen items into town.
Distinguishing itself even further, the Wine Library will have personal and handheld computers set up in the store so that customers can learn more about wine.
"There are 25,000 different kinds of wine," Lopez says. "We can't carry them all, so the wine lists in the computer terminals and Palms will have scores and grades that tell the different flavors of the wines. This will give you that type of information about whether you're going to like it or not. We kind of felt like Campbell didn't have anything like this."
While the Wine Library won't be able to carry every wine known to man, Gragnani and Lopez say they're going to have a "global" selection of tasty choices from around the world.
Gragnani says that, at first, Campbell's city officials were a little skeptical about having a wine store downtown, but they eventually realized the unique qualities of the store. The shop recently received its retail and on-premise liquor licenses.
Both Campbell residents, Gragnani and Lopez have extensive backgrounds in the computer industry.
Lopez is working as a director of information services operations for a local high-tech company, and he says he's not sure how much longer he'll live a double-life as a techie and an operations manager for his new store. Originally from New Mexico, Lopez says he was drawn to the Bay Area because it is the center of high-tech activity in which he has worked for 30 years.
A Boston native, Gragnani has 20 years of sales experience in the computer industry, which he has carried over to the Wine Library as its general manager of sales.
Lopez and Gragnani have been friends for about five years, ever since they worked together at Sun Microsystems.
The Wine Library will hold its grand opening Dec. 1, in tandem with several other stores on Campbell Avenue. Benson Interiors, the Stone Griffin Art Gallery and Happily Ever After each plan to hold their grand openings that day, although some of them are already open for business.
Among items the Wine Library plans to sell are Austrian crystal, original art and, of course, wine. Gragnani says that during a trip to the East Coast, he discovered some great wines that he plans to feature at the store, as well as unusual items that have yet to be revealed.
For more information, call the Wine Library at 408.378.2111 (Correction: the phone number is 408.379.2111).
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Campbell, California
