Arriving in Hayward nearly 20 years ago, Kathy Peterson and her husband sought out the area for its exceptional small-town atmosphere to raise their kids. Having retired from the military, both were ready to settle in a quaint area much like their hometown of Port Orchard, Washington, and after a visit with an aunt and uncle, they knew they hit the jackpot The lakes and trees are what drew them to the area, but it was the laid-back feeling of its town and residents that made their decision final. Hayward was the place to land.

Kathy opened her business six years ago and relocated to its current building on Dakota last spring. When talking to her about her career, we learned that she joined the air force out of high school starting as one of the first combat-trained women in their test program. When the test program ended, she entered the law enforcement area of the military as an investigator and finally retired as a training technician teaching other trainers.

At the Wine Cave, she specializes in the ‘different, unique and unusual’. She carries cigars, wine (from $11 to $650/bottle) and spirits. If you don’t know what you want or need, Kathy will help you pair your beverage with your dinner; from novice to experienced wine connoisseur, you are guaranteed to find the right beverage for your special occasion.

Offered during the summer months, her wine tastings will allow you to try five to six different bottles (3 reds/ 3 whites and a sweet) at a cost of $5. Here you’ll spend time leisurely testing the varieties, sharing your stories and learning about the various types of wine. A tasting of the “wines of the day” will generally last 20 minutes to several hours – depending on how many stories you delve into as you sit across from her at the beautiful hand-crafted bar. Private tastings where Kathy hand-picks the variety of wines based on the conversation you’ve shared, are available upon request. You’ll find that she will encourage you to get outside your comfort zone; try something you normally don’t drink, and the experiment will be well worth your time. This summer she hopes to provide the opportunity for visitors to mix their own wine blend and bottle them. She'll store the wine until it is ready, then when you come back, you’ll label it and take your custom bottle home with you.

As for the spirits, they are open all year long and there is no charge for tasting these. Peanut butter whisky? Twenty Grand Vodka? Oh, it’s worth your time! Kathy’s reward is the look on your face when you find the treasured one!

Even if you’re not a cigar smoker, you must stop in to see the walk-in humidor in this beautiful little shop. Much like wine, it matters where the components of these ingredients are grown, and she carries primarily specialty cigars like Brickhouse. Her goal is to reach 35 varieties before too long.

Her job is her passion... and even her social life. She credits her business with allowing her to meet the most amazing people. In her downtime, she cares for her horses and chickens on her 217-acre hobby farm. There she gardens, cans and cooks, reads, knits, rides her bike, and snowshoes during those long winter months. Every morning she wakes up and thanks God that she decided to move here. So, come on in, tell her about your life, and try a beverage or two. As she says, “I sell really cool stuff and want people to come in and have a good time.”