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This Lindy mead maker isn’t going anywhere.
Roger Wanner, a co-founder of W A Meadwerks in Lindenhurst, squashed rumors earlier this week and informed the public that his meadery is not closing, but rather relocating.
W A Meadwerks is staying in Lindenhurst Village and Wanner said the plan is to close the tasting room located at 26 West Hoffman Ave. and move it into the business’ production facility at 290 N. Wellwood Ave.
“It’s not a great situation, but it’s kind of a blessing in disguise,” Wanner said. “Our sales have been off this year, we are running about 5 percent less than last year. And in our wholesale part of the business, we’ve found ourselves having to finance people to the full legal limit in terms that they are allowed to pay for purchases.”
With these challenges, Wanner said it made sense to condense the business and relocate to the 2,500-square-foot production space.
Wanner said the goal is to fully reopen the tasting room in the North Wellwood Ave. storefront before the end of the year.
Customers can also expect some changes to W A Meadwerks sampling and flights, new meads, and an expanded food menu.
“The hope is we can move pieces from our original tasting room up the road, spruce it up and update it a little bit, and it should be a nice new experience for our fans,” Wanner said. “We’re staying in Lindenhurst, we’re Lindenhurst strong.”
In the meantime, W A Meadwerks is gearing up for a brunch fundraiser to benefit the Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition, Wanner said.
The “Bees for Boobs” event is set for Oct. 23 from 1-6 p.m. at W A Meadwerks’s tasting room. Participants can enjoy some mead and food, try their luck in a 50/50 raffle, and partake in a Chinese auction.
“We have a product called Basic Bee Rose, which happens to be in a pink pastel can, and we’re going to ask our fans that when they purchase a four-pack that they make a donation, and we’ll match that donation,” Wanner said. “We’ll be giving out some tchotchkes as incentives, people will sign a pink ribbon that will hang in the tasting room for the entire month, and if people make bigger purchases, we have bigger things to give out.”
Top photo: W A Meadwerks barrel and mead. (W A Meadwerks/Facebook)
