Caleb Ben-Avram and Tim Slivinski are the owners of Naked Grape

Wine Bar, a wine bar specializing in limited production wines, craft beers, artisan cheese and meats and tapas.

How long have you been here? What brought you to South Florida?
We have been in South Florida permentaly going on 9 years, but bought our condo 11 years ago. We came to Fort Lauderdale when Tim accepted a job here.

Please tell Agenda readers about your business.
We are a unique, alternative gathering spot on the Drive. We are quiet and mellow, which creates a conducive atmosphere for conversation. It’s a great place to de-stress and relax.

How long have you had your business and how is it going?
We are in our fifth year. Business is going well with many loyal local clients. We have weathered the economic downturn well and have adapted to the changing times.

What niche did you feel was missing, that you started your business?
Many people want a quiet place to meet their partners, spouses and/or friends. We saw a need for a place that would be a great date night spot while, at the same time, introducing limited production wines to our customers. Our addition of tapas was actually a response to customer requests for unique, fun, fresh small plates.

How does your business benefit the community?
The business has given us many opportunities to give back to the gay community, as well as to the community at large.

What disadvantages do you feel there are?
We really see no disadvantages.

How would you identify your management approach? Iron Fist or more Flexible? What do you see as the advantages to your approach?

Our staff is small and this allows us to be flexible. Our employees have great ideas and suggestions that we listen to and take to heart. We want them to have a stake in the business, so we respect their opinions.

What do you feel about the idea that the summer season is slow? How do you combat this pressure?
South Florida needs to come out of the “season” mentality. There are many in the area who are now year-round residents. Summer tourism is actually up also. Those of us who are permanent residents need events throughout the year.  We need to become a 12 month area, rather than a 6 or 7 month area.

How do you think the community as a whole responds to your business?
Our clientele is extremely diverse. All people who come to the wine bar gather and get along well, whether straight, gay, lesbian, old or young. That is a key reason why people come to the Naked Grape. It’s one of the aspects that we, as owners, really like about owning the business. Everyone feels welcome, and people like bringing their parents, siblings and friends into the wine bar when they visit.

In your lifetime how do you feel the gay community has changed?
Though we still have many steps to take, there is certainly a much greater acceptance in the community-at-large of gay and lesbian residents. We are fortunate to live in an area with such wide acceptance. Most people know someone in their lives who is either gay or lesbian, and that makes it much more personal. It’s hard to feel hatred when it’s that close to home. Though there is still prejudice out there, we feel it will continue to decrease as time passes.

Do you believe there is credence to the idea that a business geared towards the gay market is cutting out a major section of the wider community?
It depends on the business. In our case, we welcome the wider community and that co-existence does a great deal to broaden understanding and acceptance of the gay community.

How do you minimize that effect?
In some cases, minimizing it is not necessary. Again, it depends on the nature of the business.

What plans do you have for the future?
As of September 1, we are broadening the wine bar by offering a tapas menu and market items for sale at our new location. This plan has been under development for nearly a year. Our menu will focus on fresh, seasonal items. It will change regularly rather than remaining static. We hope to remain one option of many along the Drive in the years to come as we continue to watch and be a part of the on-going development of the Drive.

If you had an open check book, what business would you go into next?
We would remain with our wine bar/craft beer/tapas/market concept. We enjoy what we do, our many great customers and working with our loyal, fun staff. We really have no desire to change into another business but continue to improve the Naked Grape.