“When people visit Sinclairs 22 for the first time, I often tell them it is a combination of a business adventure and a Hallmark movie,” said owner Denise Kulak. Along with her life partner, David Trout, Kulak opened the Bay Street wine shop in Port Orchard in November 2022.
According to Kulak, “David and I saw the space and I was instantly drawn to it as a potential art gallery, but David, who has lived here for more than 20 years, felt it wouldn’t have the draw.” Following Trout’s advice and that of the landlord, Kulak was encouraged to open the space as a wine shop. With her third-generation retail background, fine art experience, and her East Coast can-do attitude, she has created an experiential space that feels like you stumbled into an off-the-beaten path artist’s studio or gallery.
A self-proclaimed city chick, Kulak moved to the area four years ago and is embracing the opportunity to learn all she can about her new community. “We are in the store every day, so our guests interact with the owners every time they visit.”
Sinclairs 22 sells regional wines from the Willamette and Yakima Valleys. Through their fantastic relationships with vendors and wineries, they also sell international brands from Chile, Transylvania, Romania, Israel, South Africa, France, and Spain. One of their first relationships with a winery in Tuscany started through Trout’s connection to them after years of buying their wines by the case.
Visitors at Sinclairs 22 can purchase a 2 ounce sample or a full glass and enjoy the ambiance created with Trout’s construction and woodworking expertise and the vision he and Kulak had for the space. Wanting to further their commitment to the community, they developed the Bay Street Art Hop. Featuring a new local artist on display in the store every month, the event extends to other area businesses with the goal “to give people a purpose to come to the area.” Encompassing art, music,
wine, and a variety of entertainment like a psychic astrologer and face painters, the Bay Street Art Hop is held on the third Friday of every month from 3-7pm.
Sinclairs 22
sinclairs22.com
BY LYNN CASTLE