The Vision, The Team, The Thompsons

Terry Thompson’s awakening to fine wines began during a semester spent in Florence, Italy while attending Gonzaga University.  This affinity would carry through a successful business career, ultimately, coming full circle with the successful opening of URBAN enoteca.   

After a 12 year career in commercial real estate, where he created a commercial office condominium development and then transitioned into home building, Thompson founded a company that manufactured high end hotel, condominium and apartment interiors.  He was able to build a $30 million a year company, while marketing these products nationally to major hotel chains in the United States, as well as national condominium and apartment developers. 

Throughout his business career, Thompson’s passion for wine, particularly those from Washington, was celebrated.  He established a wine cellar at corporate headquarters and developed a national and international reputation for entertaining with and the gifting of fine wines from Washington. 

In early 2009, Thompson closed his business and made the decision to follow his passion for wine.  With that in mind, he traveled to San Francisco in late 2009 to see Press Club San Francisco.  Its marketing concept in establishing the business was to bring Napa to San Francisco, due to the length of the journey there and the difficulty of tourist and business travelers to get to Napa.  What greater potential was there to bring Eastern Washington to Seattle, which was 4 ½ hours away from their major market?  But his vision was not just to establish tasting rooms like Press Club, but a full Washington wine experience and entertainment destination.  The planning began. 

Thompson made this a family affair, involving all four of his children in the creative process and execution.  Daughter Tanya Schofield, extremely talented and insightful in design and art, gave great counsel in providing the guest the ultimate experience visually; daughter Heather Kochevar, was Thompson’s “right hand” in business management and legal affairs; son Chad Thompson, who has a extensive background in construction management process and control, was assigned as director of construction and design; son Brian Thompson, was extremely adept at bringing to the table ideas in technology for the facility that will expand the market share with the “20-something crowd;” and Molly Thompson, his wife, who offered constant doses of support, optimism, encouragement and caution.

While the road has not always been an easy one, Thompson calls the idea, planning, creation and opening of URBAN enoteca the “best business decision of his life.”