Mike Emmett spent 15 years travelling Australia as a freelance photographer and writer in the food and wine industry. Completing twenty cookbooks, Mike wrote for local publications, telling the stories of producers and farmers in regional areas. So when it came to his next step, telling stories in a different way made sense.
Our little store is a wine library and hub for discovery of all things wine, beer, and spirits. We are blessed with so many extraordinary local and international producers, and it’s an honour to work with them every week.”
Mike Emmett → Owner, Barrique Wine Store
Mike and his wife purchased the wine store, which had been an icon of the local scene for more than 16 years in 2022. They saw an opportunity to put it on the map as a true wine, beer and spirits hub in Healesville, Victoria.
Fast forward a few years and Barrique is fast growing as the place to be on a Friday night, with locals and visitors dropping in to taste curated wines and bites from local food trucks in Melbourne’s iconic Yarra Valley. We recently visited Mike to learn more about the business, wines and how he powers it all with Square.
SQ: Why the Yarra Valley special to you?
M: We are privileged to be right next door to some historic icons in Kitchen & Butcher, Gewurzhaus, and the Healesville Hotel. Being in the Yarra Valley means that we are embedded in a community of producers here.
SQ: Tell us about the events you run at Barrique?
M: Every Friday we feature a local producer and their wines. They pour tastings, we put their wines on by-the-glass, and sell bottles. We also have a food truck in the back garden that does tapas and smaller plates – perfect snacks for people to enjoy while they sample the wines. We encourage people to bring their own food from local providores like Sophie’s and K&B or order in dinner from The Laneway or Monroes at other times. It’s the perfect way to enjoy great wine!
SQ: What do you think has made your business successful?
M: Our regulars are far more knowledgeable than we can ever be, so we humbly accept the wealth of their combined knowledge to grow our business. We listen louder than we talk, and in this community that’s been a great lesson.
SQ: How has Square benefitted you as you’ve grown?
M: We’re able to easily keep our inventory up to date with Square in-store and online with real-time inventory adjustments.
Adding Square Terminal to the mix has made busy nights easy. We’ve even been able to integrate it with the food truck to send orders directly to the kitchen printer. As we’ve grown, Square has helped our customer service grow too.
The customer-facing screen on Square Register is also a crucial part of our communications strategy, allowing us to advertise offers and events with customised imagery. It’s sold so many tickets to events!
SQ: What feature of Square do you love the most?
M: The real-time reporting is great. Knowing how the shop is doing when we’re away from it is a great reassurance as a business owner!
SQ: What are your future goals for Barrique Wine Store?
M: We are looking at more ways to run education events. It’s a core part of being in a wine community. Our wine club is also a priority, taking subscriptions each month.
