D'Vine Wine to close doors

Kim Donner said it is with a "heavy heart" that she'll put the final cork in the business she opened three years ago.

"This has been my life. I've put my blood, sweat and tears into it," she said. "For me, it's like a death in the family."

Donner and her husband, Chris, opened the upscale wine bar and eatery three years ago on Nevada Day. It will close on the same holiday this year.

"I felt it poetic to officially close on that day," she said.

Like the day it opened, the shop will be offering specials on Bloody Marys and draft beer during the celebration. They will also be offering lunch and dinner menus.

Donner said she debated whether to let her customers know in advance of the closing, and in the end decided to send an e-mail to her regulars.

"I feel I did it the right way," she said. "A lot of people have been very sad. We've built a wonderful place here that people love."

She said loyal customers weren't enough to offset the lagging economy.

"People just weren't eating out as much," she said. "We had our regulars, they just came in less frequently. That equals less sales."

She said people's dining habits changed as well. Rather than come in for dinner, she said, they came in for a glass of wine and ate at home.

"It's very hard to walk away and let go," she said. "Unfortunately, with the economy the way it is, I didn't have a choice."

In addition to serving food and drinks, D'Vine Wine also became a business leader, participating in the Downtown Business Association's Wine Walk and other community events.

It was also host to several fundraisers in the area.

"It's been so much more than just a restaurant and bar, it's been it's own entity and part of the community," she said. "We've been proud to be able to do that."

Live music will continue Friday nights as will lunch and dinner service. She said some drinks and appetizers may be available through November, but "D'Vine Wine as we know it," will close after Oct. 31.

"We're going to go out with a bang on Nevada Day," she said. "We'll have specials for customers old and new. We'll celebrate and say goodbye."

Donner said she is in negotiations to sell the building but nothing is final yet.

As for her own future, Donner said she will stay in Carson City with her husband and two children.

"I'm kind of just hoping that when one door closes another one opens," she said.