Pairing wine and creativity

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Hoover holds a special place in Tamie Boychuk’s heart. Many of her teenage years were spent at the Riverchase Galleria with friends, and the Alabama native sees the city as not just a place to shop, but as a destination. After living in other cities around the country, she said it’s the heart and soul of the people that brought her back. 

“Alabama is where I was born and raised, and it will always be my home,” she said. 

Since 1989, Boychuk has worked serving others or helping the community where she lived. She began her job as an EMT in the Birmingham- Hoover area when she was 19. She was then a social worker at Children’s Aid Society and also in the burn unit of Children’s Hospital. 

After getting married in 2004, she moved to San Diego and also lived in Florida before coming back to Alabama. 

“My work was and has never been a job to me as much as it was a calling, but after over 20 years of service to others, I’m switching gears to doing something that will provide my family with an opportunity to work together while still serving the community in a more fun and lighthearted way,” she said.

Boychuk will open the first Pinot’s Palette franchise in Alabama in October. After attending a class, she loved the experience so much she researched the industry and decided she wanted to open a franchise of her own. 

She describes Pinot’s Palette as being in a class all by itself. It’s a place to paint, drink and have fun while being creative. In just a few hours, participants can create a painting while enjoying a glass of wine. 

“The Pinot’s Palette franchise understands that the true ownership of any successful business is with its customers,” Boychuk said. “So we strive to provide our customers with an extraordinary experience in an upscale and entertaining atmosphere. Our focus is not so much on teaching people how to paint as it is on the experience and having people leaving having had the time of their life.”

Boychuk said there was no other place to open Pinot’s Palette other than Hoover. She was thrilled to find a prime location inside the Patton Creek shopping center, between Brixx Wood Fired Pizza and Firehouse Subs. 

If everything goes as planned, she hopes to be open in mid to late October. While the primary customers are women between ages 25-32, Boychuk said there has been an increase in the number of men, couples and families attending. 

In addition to regularly scheduled classes, the store will have slots available seven days a week for events including corporate team building, bachelorette parties, bridal showers, birthday parties for kids and adults as well as family reunions.

Pinot’s Palette also offers art enrichment programs for kids. “Little Brushes” are kids’ camps available during the summer and holidays for kids ages 6 to 13. During the holiday season, the studio will be offering “drop & shops” where parents can sign their kids up to paint for a few hours while they go Christmas shopping.

Boychuk describes herself as an amateur painter and will not be teaching classes at first, but will have between five and seven artists working in the studio. 

“We recruit artists from our local community and, in addition to their natural talents, we provide training for them in how we do business at Pinot’s Palette,” she said. 

Pinot’s Palette will have a strong social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Regularly scheduled classes will be held five days a week and can be signed up online or though the Pinot’s Palette app. 

Boychuck is confident enough in her business to begin anticipating when and where to open the next location. 

“While ‘Paint, Drink and Have Fun’ is our slogan, our mission is to bring art to the masses in a fun and entertaining atmosphere while providing extraordinary customer service and an unforgettable experience,” Boychuck said.

Pinot’s Palette

  • 181 Main Street, Suite 225
  • 558-5969
  • pinotspalette.com/hoover
  • Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 1-8 p.m.