The rapidly growing wine business has taken Shearone Lewis to every wine-growing corner of the U.S. and most wine regions globally. Still, she remains a fixture of Houston’s Almeda business corridor community (Third Ward).
Lewis owns UnWine on Almeda (4420 Almeda Rd., Houston 77004), a wine bar offering housemade sangria, mimosas, craft beer, and light bites in an upscale setting. But her road to entrepreneurship began as an employee.
ROAD TO OWNERSHIP
In 2014, the location that was once the popular G’s & Z’s was erected as UnWine by Lawrence McQueen, a local entrepreneur. Lewis came in as UnWine’s event planner and wine shepherd (sommelier), helping them formulate their wine list. Before her conversation with McQueen, Lewis had been “studying and playing with wine” and working in the industry for years.
Though Lewis moved away for about a year and a half, McQueen and his associates recognized the gifts Lewis brought to the table. And upon her return to Houston, McQueen came to her with a different proposal.
“Mr. McQueen called me and asked me if I was still interested in purchasing UnWine. I had no idea what he was talking about because I had never said that to him,” said Lewis, who ended up taking the inquiry seriously.
After working at UnWine for a few years, she relaunched the business as owner and under a new name, UnWine on Almeda, on Juneteenth of 2019.
MEANT TO BE
In truth, though, Lewis was introduced to the wine world as a teenager in New Orleans, where she grew up.
“When I grew up, we didn’t have computers or the internet. So, I just read, read, read all the time and learned about wine via encyclopedias and working in the family restaurant. For me it was just a way to be able to have some money in my pocket. I didn’t ever think it would go to this extent. It wasn’t my plan,” shared Lewis, who studied business in college.
But wherever she lived, and whatever career paths she took, wine remained part of her DNA.
“I’ve always dabbled in the industry because it was always a fun way, a great way to earn extra income… I just continued to study no matter where I worked or what I did. I ended up retiring from UPS in 2001, and I went into dabbling again full-time in the restaurant, food, and beverage industry.
“Periodically would do some other things, but I always bounced back to the food and beverage industry. And then, I moved back to Houston in 2009 for my mother, who was losing my stepfather. And I said, what can I do to be available for them? That’s how I came back here to UnWine. It’s just a passion of mine, loving wine and it’s a great travel opportunity because there’s wine everywhere in the world.”
COMMUNITY FIXTURE
Returning home to Houston (her grandmother’s home, Lewis’s first home, is just two blocks from her business), it didn’t take Lewis long to re-establish her Houston community cred.
“Shearone Lewis has been in business for the last 11 years due to her commitment to upholding a standard of elegance, sophistication, and community-focused experience,” said educator, yoga instructor and UnWine employee Aisha Shahid. “She has gained attention for her commitment to creating an inclusive space where patrons can enjoy wine education and tasting experiences.”
Part of Lewis’s charm, besides being a person people seem to gravitate to, is her commitment to supporting and promoting fellow local businesspersons, those in the wine industry, the arts, retail, etc.
Working in collaboration with Branwar Wine Distributing Co.’s Wayne Luckett and his son Warren, Lewis has become the go-to person for local Black wine producers to introduce their products to the public.
“Shearone has always impressed me with her in depth knowledge of wines,” said Luckett. “As a high level sommelier, her wine expertise is always on spot.
“Aside from her entrepreneurial acumen, she has a passion for supporting our community by hosting wine tasting events and introducing new wines for wine lovers in the area.”
Though Lewis has witnessed the dramatic demographic shift in her community’s makeup, she and her neighbors are committed to helping the area retain its historic flavor.
“I think those of us that are here are still hoping to be able to hold on to that and revive that. All that I’m involved with here in the community, that’s what we do. We don’t want to go anywhere else permanently. We visit, we learn, but there’s a fiber here that keeps us all together.”
