Fulton County Ohio Media

In 2019, Julia and Rob Benfield purchased the historic building on the corner of Main Street and Zeiter Way (Broadway) in downtown Swanton that once was the home of the Pilliod Opera House and relocated their wine making (Rob) and selling (Julia) business into the first floor.  The structure, built in1896, had seen better days and also served the Swanton community as a hardware store, a photography studio and even a basketball venue.  After much needed renovation, mainly to the infrastructure, Benfield Wines opened for business in August of that year and began producing and selling with a modest selection of four wines.

Today, their adult beverage menu includes 18 wines, 25 bourbons, various seasonal slushies and a few selections from Swanton’s Oncore Brewery.  However, adding to their drink menu was only the beginning of their growth over the past five years.  The Benfields built a large bar that greets customers when you first walk in.  They later installed a kitchen and created a food menu that includes, among other items, flat bread pizza, panini sandwiches and most recently, lasagna.  Julia and Rob contracted with Thomas Construction of Swanton and had their small party room more than doubled in size, with the main feature being two enormous garage doors with windows installed on the south side of the building, adjacent to Zeiter way.

“I’m most excited about this room, the extended venue for bridal showers, baby showers and especially the block parties that we do,” said Julia.  “It’s been great to work with local Swanton businesses, with Seth’s team (Thomas Construction) and the Chamber has been very supportive.”

It did not take long after opening their doors that Benfield Wines began to act as a magnet to bring people to the downtown area.  After the Swanton Village Council passed the ordinance to allow the creation of the DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area), Benfield’s partnered with Hub’s Bar and the Swanton Chamber of Commerce to organize monthly summer block parties and the downtown foot traffic just exploded.

“Ten years ago, when we talked about doing this, that we would be in this beautiful building and able do all the fun things we do for the community and our customers.  It started as a pipe dream and my husband telling his co-workers that he was going to quit and start a winery and they didn’t believe it,” Julia reflected.  “We moved to Swanton to expand our business.  This has definitely been what we planned.  We moved here with a purpose and we definitely appreciate working with other small businesses and the Chamber.”

Benfield Wines, located at 102 North Main Street, cannot be missed if you travel anywhere near Downtown Swanton.  Several years ago, with the help of matching grants from the Village of Swanton, the Benfields had a lot of the brick and mortar repaired or replaced and painted the entire façade a vivid fire engine red.  A few other Main Street businesses followed their lead and gave their building a facelift as well, making the area a welcoming place to visit.

Photo: Julia Benfield cuts the ribbon alongside (L to R): Swanton Mayor Neil Toeppe, First Lady of Swanton Eileen Toeppe, Tara Shaver, Holden Benfield, Rob Benfield, Seth Thomas, Swanton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Delray Busch