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| Femi Oyediran, co-owner of Graft wine shop |
"I always talked about the idea of music adding to the atmosphere that made enjoying food exciting" Oyediran says.
Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Oyediran is the son of an aerospace engineer and has lived all over the country. His taste in music is a reflection of his travels and love for Nigerian culture. Walking into Graft you can hear artists such as West African legend Fela Kuti, Sunny Ade, Cody Chestnut, Irma Thomas Live from New Orleans, D’Angelo Live at the Jazz Café in London and British singer/songwriter Labi -Siffre live. Oyediran says the vibe works best at night.
"We try to play full albums because live albums at night are just fantastic. We don’t have live bands play at Graft, but if you have a good sound system it gives the impression of being in a jazz club or something like that," Oyediran says. "We love that feeling and that atmosphere."
Graft is designed after the Parisian Caves à Mangers, bespoke wine shops specializing in local, organic and low sulfate wines with tapas style plates. The concept took Paris by storm and Oyediran with co-owner and sommelier Miles White decided to repurpose the idea stateside. Patrons can grab a bottle to go or chill and enjoy the ambiance. The corkage is only $15 compared to spending $130 at a more traditional wine shop and Oyediran says "It’s really the way you should enjoy wine." Graft offers a selection of meat and cheese pairings, and visitors can peruse the shop to learn more about what they offer.
"It allows people to enjoy it here at an affordable rate that I think is really enticing," Oyediran says. "It’s a really great concept for us and allows us to share wine with our community in a really friendly way."
Oyediran and White took European concepts and made them their own. The pair collected ideas from places they like to hang out that have nothing to do with wine and merged the two. Oyediran says Graft is an extension of his living room. The goal is for people to feel like they’re coming to a home and not a wine store.
During his travels, Oyediran learned that "Experiences where you enjoyed the wine are the ones you remember the most." So he’s focused on curating each visit, to make it transformative for his guests. Graft offers a selection of 220 wines. Every bottle has a tag with the price, a brief summary of the wine and why the duo chose to offer each one. Most of the wine is either organic, sustainable, or biodynamic. Anyone can walk in and choose a wine without talking to Oyediran or White, but Oyediran says he enjoys engaging his patrons because finding the right wine can be a passionate occurrence.
"Our wine selection is really designed like a well-balanced restaurant wine list," Oyediran says. "We‘ve hit every important nook or corner of important wines to feature."