A Taste of Olives & Grapes to relocate to former The Bottle storefront

TRYON — Another Tryon business is expanding into a new space.

A Taste of Olives & Grapes is moving to 10 N. Trade St., where The Tryon Bottle was located.

Store manager Jessica Phillips said they plan to use the extra space for events and to offer pottery made by local and international potters.

“The store really has an international flavor,” Phillips said.

Along with Italian olive oils, Phillips and storeowners Kimberly and Ron Tarach stock Italian pastas and crackers, sea salt from Croatia and balsamic vinegars. Ron travels to Saudi Arabia for spices, and Phillips brings in local goat milk cheeses and garlic cloves.

They also offer honey pots, chutneys and spreads to compliment the crackers and cheeses.

Phillips said they plan to use the new space for cooking demos, quarterly educational discussions about olive oils and vinegars, and group tastings.

“We want to have a ladies’ night with wine and/or beer,” Phillips said. “We also plan to have a couples’ night.”

The store was the dream of Phillips’ mother, Kimberly Tarach. Phillips said her mother had a similar store in Florida where Phillips grew up.

“We’ve been coming to North Carolina since I was little,” Phillips said. “My mother always envisioned having a store in a small North Carolina town.”

Phillips is looking forward to moving into the new space by the third week of March. While their current location near Palmer Street has been great, the new location is more in the center of town and seems to have more foot traffic, she said.

The new space will have the feel of a quaint Italian seaside village, complete with distressed wood look counters and display tables, graced with displays of gift baskets and decorative bottles and platters.

For more information about A Taste of Olive & Grapes, contact Phillips at 828-859-0212 or visit www.atasteofolivesandgrapes.com.