Ten years ago, Daniel Schmidt walked into Smith & Vine wine shop, in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, for a second interview. He’d already impressed the general manager, and he was passed on to me and Michele, one of the shop owners, to see if he’d meet our approval. I don’t remember anything was said, but I remember that Daniel seemed nervous - a little shaky, talking quickly, eager to say the right thing - but he also came across as genuine and kind, and he was knowledgeable and passionate about wine. As soon as Daniel left the room, Michele smiled and made a gesture I’d never seen before: she drew a heart with two fingers in the air.

It was a big day for Daniel. Needless to say, he got the job, but he also gained, in me, a business partner and lifelong friend, and more importantly, he then got the girl, for when Glenny was hired shortly thereafter, he was smitten, she fell for him, and they began their life together. Smith & Vine was staffed exclusively by restaurant escapees, former waiters and cooks who loved food and wine, but had been jilted, or just plain worn down, by the industry. They were done with uniforms and late nights, tired of listening to the Buena Vista Social Club and Gypsy Kings, the anodyne soundtrack of nineties dining. They wore ripped jeans and played hip-hop loudly, and they knew their grapes. My first day at Smith & Vine, I wore a button down shirt and nice shoes, and they told me I was overdressed.

It felt liberating to act naturally at work, to really be ourselves, and still be appreciated for excellent service. The connections we made with our odd bunch of regular customers felt nurturing and supportive. We served Olympians and court clerks, writers and bike mechanics, actors and teachers, chefs and musicians, and their daily visits enriched our lives. Just thinking of them makes me smile. Our experience together at Smith & Vine made us want to create something like this for ourselves, and for Oakland, a friendly wine store without pretense or attitude, a place to get to know our neighbors.

Daniel, Glenny, Julia, and I opened Oakland Yard four years ago next week, and I like to think we’ve accomplished much of what we set out to do. In March of this year, we were awarded Oakland Magazine’s People’s Choice Best Wine Shop and Best Wine Bar in the east bay. The novel virus has limited our closeness, but this too shall pass. Our online store looks great, thanks to Daniel, and it’ll keep us afloat, but it’s no substitute for the community we’ve built and will enjoy again in its fullness some day. Thank you for an excellent first four! Despite divisive politics, drought and wildfires, pestilence, and the usual greed and hatred, together, we’ve created a little bubble of wine and love - to sustain and support us in our journeys - and it all began on one day, ten years ago, three thousand miles away.

Here’s to the next four years,

Max