"I'd be Mom and he'd be Pop," Serena Fortin says, referring to her husband and business partner, Chris Fortin.
But those aren't titles that can be earned overnight. In addition to being an actual mom and pop, the couple's extensive travels around the globe and lengthy experience in the food and beverage industry inspired them to take the plunge and open their shop, bringing Goosie's to Chandler.
A history in food and drink
Chris is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef. While he's worked at big chains, including Applebee's, where the couple met, and Yard House in Scottsdale, he's also run the show at his own restaurant. In his 20s, Chris owned the Rendezvous Steakhouse and Saloon near Chama, New Mexico."There was a train out there called the Toltec Scenic train," Chris says. "And the train would come during the summers and park and visitors would get off, and we'd have sack lunches for them. And then at night-time, we were a full-blown steakhouse, so porterhouses, ribeyes, filets."
After selling the steakhouse, the couple moved to the Valley. During the pandemic, the Fortins owned a business in a different genre – selling fish (as pets, not food) online.
Itching to get back into the food and beverage industry, they took a trip to Napa. There, they found that the wine culture, while superb, felt unapproachable for the uninitiated, especially with the required reservations and entry fees for tastings. This inspired the Chandler residents to open a brick-and-mortar wine shop with a "neighborhood feel."
Goosies offers wine, beer, cider, mead, sake and more with options from around 25 different countries.
Goosies Wine Shop
Goosies landed in Chandler
In November 2024 they opened their boutique bottle shop on Alma School and Warner roads. The fun name comes from Serena's habit of calling her husband "a silly goosie."The shop is welcoming and casual but backed up by some serious knowledge. Serena and Chris are both Level 1 sommeliers, and Chris, wanting to better serve the beer community, dove into the deep end by becoming a certified cicerone.
"We focus on family-owned and operated vineyards," Serena says. "Smaller production with a high attention to quality."
Beyond wine and beer, local drink options include Prescott Valley's Stoic Cider, Arcadia's Six Byrd Cider, Avondale's Scale & Feather mead and Holbrook's Arizona Sake, from the master Japanese brewer Atsuo Sakurai.
Goosies is otherwise filled out by beers and wines the Fortins fell in love with on their travels. The selection includes beverages from about 25 countries. The other main method of curation is customer requests.
"There was a gal that came in and she was really interested in these zero-sugar wines," Serena says, "Then we go and we start doing some research and seeing what fits being in the store and fits what they want."
The 40-ounce malt liquor bottles on the shelves?
"We had a gentleman, when we first opened," Serena explains, "and he said, 'Do you guys have any of that Olde English? If not, can you get some for me? But don't put it in the fridge. I want it hot on the shelf.'"
Aside from alcohol, customers can procure a variety of locally crafted goods, including beef-tallow face-care products from Love & Lions in Gilbert, Desert Jam Co. jams, sourdough starters from The Doughoe and Strawberry Hedgehog soap. One of the soaps is made with Huss Brewing Co. beer and a wine soap is exclusive to Goosies. Also for purchase is Serena's own "Nostalgic 90's Cookbook," with her recipes for cheeseburger pockets, a "Pop Tarts extravaganza," and Salisbury steak.
Chris and Serena's hope is to eventually have multiple Goosies locations and a full bar. The shop's current license doesn't allow that, though there are wine tastings on Saturdays and Sundays. A beer-tasting club that meets every two weeks has gotten so popular that they may have to start selling tickets.
In the age of ordering everything for delivery online, Goosies seeks to provide an experience in addition to the product, the owners say.
"When people come in here, they spend an average of 15 minutes to 45 minutes," Chris says. "It's not a quick, pop-in-and-out type of place. We have a lot of regulars that come in and share their stories, their week with us, even their health issues that they're going through."
"Or come in here for advice," Serena adds.
"We try to get to know everybody, we try to learn their name," Chris continues. "So it's more of an experience, destination place."
