October 23, 2008 - Maple Ridge business owner Entrepreneur of the Year

Maple Ridge business owner Entrepreneur of the Year

A Maple Ridge business owner was named the 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year last night.

Darlene Neilson of Once Upon a Vine opened her retail business with husband Daniel Neilson after noticing a gap in the services offered to connoisseurs wanting to make their own wine.

"We used to go to wine-making stores ourselves. We would ask how to pronounce the name of a wine and they weren't very helpful," Neilson, overall winner of the awards, recalls. She decided to start her own business where the focus would be educating customers about wine in a clean, friendly, upscale environment.

Since opening five-and-a-half years ago, Neilson has expanded Once Upon a Vine by 1,000 sq ft to include a demonstration kitchen where customers can take cooking classes and learn how to make that all-important food-wine match. A second location in Pitt Meadows will be opening early in the New Year.

The Entrepreneur of the Year Awards recognize graduates of the Douglas College Self Employment Program. This year, 20 finalists were nominated for awards in eight categories. Last night's celebrations at the Executive Plaza Hotel in Coquitlam coincided with Small Business Week. Over 300 program alumni and special guests attended.

For more information on the Douglas College Self Employment Program, please contact 604-777-6012.

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