Flying High in Dadeville

 Lucky Flight Bottle Shoppe 

As a flight attendant, Annie Lee has seen the world, so when she had the opportunity to bring the world to her hometown of Dadeville, Ala., she jumped at the chance. “I always wanted to open my own shop and I could see that our town was growing and it was the right opportunity,” she says. “When I thought about days I had spent at European vineyards, I knew I wanted to open a wine shop that focused on travel and wines from around the world.” 

Playing on her airline experience, Lucky Flight Bottle Shoppe opened its doors on November 3, with customers traveling from Auburn and even Atlanta to check out its selection. Located outside the Still Waters community on Lake Martin, opening night exceeded Annie’s wildest expectations. “Social media helped word get around quickly and people were coming in from all over to check out the shop,” she explains. “We received nothing but compliments from customers and excitement about us being there.” 

A differential for Lucky Flight is their wine dispensers—a way for customers to sample a high price point wine without committing to an entire bottle. One-ounce pours range in price from $1-9, depending on the price of the bottle, and truly changes the customer experience. “People love to try new things and this dispenser is not a system you can typically find in small towns like ours,” Annie says. “Many European wineries have them and they are finally gaining popularity in the U.S.” 

Not knowing anything about SBA loans, Annie signed up for an online seminar, which gave her the basics about how to get started. After her bank contact introduced her to Sam Renta at Alliance Capital Corporation, Annie knew she had found the person to help her get the ball rolling. “Sam answered all my questions and provided me with checklists so I could get him all the necessary documentation,” she explains. “I needed a little hand-holding, but it was so helpful to have Sam with all the answers in my corner.” 

The shop is open Wednesday-Saturday. You can find more about Annie and her wine shop on social media and at luckyflightbottleshoppe.com