Dena Shaskan’s latest at Sundance Square: Wines From a Broad
By Scott Nishimura
Photos by Jill Johnson
It’s been almost a full year since chef Dena Shaskan opened 3rd Street Market in downtown Fort Worth’s Sundance Square as a showcase for the sourdough of her husband, Trent.
Shaskan wasn’t done. In May, she opened Hopscotch in the former Jamba Juice space at Sundance Plaza, offering a playful mix of snow cones, lemonades, mocktails and cocktails.
Next for Shaskan: Wines From a Broad, which she opened in September in the former Willow House Boutique space at Sundance, selling labels that have women in the ownership, winemaking and operations.
“I had to think about it, because so many wine bars have opened” in Fort Worth, she said. “I wanted to think of who I am and what I have to offer.”
Shaskan, who spent more than a decade at Café Modern before opening a catering company, was one of the city’s few female chefs. So the idea for Wines From a Broad came together quickly. “I decided to do all- female winemakers.”
Shaskan first reached out to wine representatives for ideas. Some had already noted such information in their databases. Others offered to do research, and Shaskan did her own to come up with the 186 wines her store sells.
“The industry is 18 percent female in winemaking roles,” she said. “To my surprise, I was able to find quite a few.”
Some labels were obvious, like the venerable Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chandon. Others took rooting out. “There are some mother- daughter teams, some sister teams,” she said.
Shaskan has hung scores of pictures of these women on one wall in Wines From a Broad.
The Willow House space was largely turnkey, she said. She converted the boutique’s L-shaped sales counter into a bar, installed racks for the wine and did some minor plumbing. The shop includes colorful party spaces and lounges.
Shaskan uses the 3rd Street kitchen to produce snacks, such as charcuterie boards, for sale at the wine bar. Customers can order by the glass and bottle, and the wine can be consumed on-site or taken home.
Shaskan added gifts such as glassware, wine purses and ornaments ranging from Dolly Parton to Greta Thunberg.
“With my concept, I assumed I’m going to get a large female clientele,” Shaskan said. “So why not add a shopping aspect to it.”
IF YOU GO
Wines From a Broad
- Address: 317 Houston St., Fort Worth
- Phone: 682-224-0056
- Website: winesfromabroad.com