PUYALLUP, Wash. — Before Cathy Fenimore opened her wine bar, The Lazy Ballerina, she did some market research by surveying one very important test subject. Herself.
"It was like what would I want it to look like, and where would Cathy want to go and hang out with her girlfriends or her husband?" she said.
The answer is a cool, atmospheric gathering spot that is kind of a throwback to the Roaring 20s with its speakeasy vibe. The furniture is comfortable and arranged for conversation.
"Just being here makes you feel classy," said Debbie Wise. "I love this place! There's nothing like it in Puyallup."
The Lazy Ballerina is named after a viticulture term for a trellis used primarily in Australia and New Zealand to grow grapes.
Fenimore said she's been talking about opening her own wine bar for more than 10 years. Then, when she turned 50, she decided to pull the trigger.
"I think there was this realization that life is really short and you can either follow those dreams and make them happen or just forget about them," she said.
To enhance conversation, there's no Wi-Fi or televisions at The Lazy Ballerina. But modern-day technology can be found in the tasting room where self-serve stations do all the pouring. A card with a chip reader keeps track of the purchases.
"You can insert that card and you can pick from a 1 ounce, a 3 ounce or a full glass pour," Fenimore said, "so it really does give people an opportunity to try some more obscure wines, or wines that they've just steered clear of because they weren't sure if they were going to like it, and it's just a great way to experience something new!"
You can also order a full bottle, conveniently displayed in an old vault.
"You got a bank vault in your wine bar what are you going to use it for?" asked Fenimore. "You use it for wine because that's the most precious thing, right?"
The Lazy Ballerina also offers a menu of tasty food items. That means Fenimore spends most of her time in the kitchen, which may be why she has yet to fully appreciate how successful her wine bar has become.
"We've been so busy that I don't know that I've really had a chance to step back and go 'OK you did this,'" Fenimore said. "And I am kind of proud of myself, too, for actually following my dream and not letting it go."
The Lazy Ballerina is across South Meridian Avenue from the Puyallup Library. The wine bar is open Tuesday through Saturday.
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