On Saturday, a ribbon cutting was held in downtown Carson City to celebrate the opening of Cellar 8 Wine Bar, formerly Mayer Family Wines.
Proclaiming the number eight to be her lucky number, owner Maxine “Max” Holland held the ribbon cutting on March 8, officially International Women’s Day, to open Cellar 8 Wine Bar. Most of her most memorable events, including her marriage to husband Chris and the birth of her now 12-year-old son, occurred during the eighth month of the year, hence the emphasis on the number 8. Mayor Lori Bagwell officiated, and many wine aficionados were on hand to join in the celebration.
Photo by Ronni Hannaman. Credit: Carson City Chamber of Commerce
The wine bar was transitioned to Cellar 8 as a “rebranding,” and is now entirely owned and operated by two women: “Max” Holland and Chief Wine Officer Jessica Brooks, according to their website.
Cellar 8, located at 408 N. Carson St., is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Max Holland is Cellar 8 Wine Bar’s new owner
Similarly to Mayer Family Wines, which opened up shop in May 2023 after a year of remodeling the location, Cellar 8 offers a variety of small-batch artisan wine, cured meats and artisanal cheeses to pair with their wines.
Holland is originally from Cape Town, South Africa, where she grew up surrounded by vineyards. She holds a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 certification.
Initially, her background was in graphic design, but she said she has “always felt a strong pull toward the food and beverage industry, inspiring her to create a welcoming space where people can enjoy good company, great meals, and of course, fantastic wine.”
Left to right front row: Chris Holland, Max Holland, Mayor Lori Bagwell, and Jessica Brooks toast the new business. Photo by Ronni Hannaman. Credit: Carson City Chamber of Commerce
Brooks said since she was a child, she has loved to “host” her family and friends.
“If anyone wanted to sit down at my tea party they knew the conversation would always be about how I loved having them there and how I was going to make sure this was the best experience ever,” she said.
She said she initially wanted to become a teacher, and became involved in the food and beverage industry to help pay for college. However, she was “bitten by the F&B bug,” and soon fell in love with the industry. In 2006, she took her first food and wine pairing class, and “that was it for me; my eyes were opened so much for my future.”
You can learn more about Cellar 8 Wine Bar at their website or on Facebook.
Left to right: Max Holland listens to Mayor Bagwell while husband Chris Holland holds the ribbon. Photo by Ronni Hannaman. Credit: Carson City Chamber of Commerce
— Carson City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ronni Hannaman contributed information and photos to this story.
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