Local Urban Winery; It sounds like Destiny!
Updated: Dec 5, 2022
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS - After serving 20 years on Active Duty in the U.S. Navy, and another 10 years away from the city, retired Navy Officer Destiny Burns moved back to her beloved hometown of Cleveland to make her dreams come true.
Located in the heart of Cleveland Heights, only steps away from the historic Cedar-Lee Theatre, you will find this treasure trove, with enough Cleveland art and passion to make even the least sentimental of natives feel right at home; and it isn't only the art and the people, it's the wine! CLE Urban Winery is not what you'd typically think of when you think of a winery; but Destiny seeks to change that in all the best ways. She opened her doors in July of 2016, braving through the hurdles of a global pandemic, and carving her name in the roots of
Cleveland culture. A captivating short film on the homepage of her business's website will take you on a journey that will make you want to hop in the car and head straight down to experience the place first hand; and meet Destiny yourself, of course.
In the early days of the concept, Destiny found her winery's forever home, in the form of a "diamond in the rough". An old automobile repair shop gave her all the inspiration she needed to plan a complete renovation and revitalization of the entire strip that encases her business. She hit the ground running and never looked back, even when hard times rolled in with the Covid-19 pandemic.
During several months, early in the pandemic, Destiny personally delivered wine directly to the door(s) of over one hundred people, while the business was closed. She did this because "they needed wine, and I needed them....I needed to put that wine at their door....and wave, and say 'how are you guys doing?'" Destiny said.
Bringing a new style and philosophy to the winery concept, her ideas have sparked the interests and passions of neighbors and travelers alike. With a space and brand created specifically for the purpose of embracing and promoting Cleveland Pride!
"I really wanted the names and the photos on my lables to celebrate my hometown", Destiny says in her video interview. "My entire life has been about service. Service to my country, service to my community....this is something that makes me feel like me"
Customers can be seen praising CLE Urban Winery for the novelty wine products that make it unique, such as the wine cocktails, and bragging about the awards and metals won by their favorite winery at wine competitions both locally and internationally.
For Destiny, however, the feeling she gets from seeing the ripple effect of the small pebble she tossed in the pond when she started her business, is more than enough to keep her going strong; dreaming and creating new and dynamic concepts for her business and for the promotion of Cleveland and the arts, music and culture throughout.
To learn more about CLE Urban Winery, visit Destiny's website here or stop in to see her at 2180 Lee Road. Cleveland Heights.
