DR. J.P. SCHWARTZ IS THE
PRESIDIO COUNTY HEALTH AUTHORITY
IN TEXAS.
THANKS, GENTLEMEN, CONTINUE YOUR
HARD WORK AND WE’LL STAY IN
TOUCH WITH YOU.
>>> WE’RE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS AS
DELIVERY TRUCKS HAVE STARTED
ROLLING OUT FROM THE PFIZER
FACILITY WITH A NEWLY-AUTHORIZED
VACCINE IN TOW.
IT WILL BE A FEW MONTHS AT LEAST
BEFORE AMERICANS CAN RETURN TO
SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY BUT THOSE
MONTHS COULD FEEL LIKE YEARS TO
THE MILLIONS OF SMALL BUSINESSES
IN THE UNITED STATES THAT ARE
SIMPLY TRYING TO STAY AFLOAT
THROUGH ONE OF THE WORST
ECONOMIC ERAS IN MODERN HISTORY.
YESTERDAY A SPENT TIME AT A
SMALL BUSINESS IN THE HOUSTON
AREA THAT IS STRUGGLING BUT
REMAINING OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ITS
PROSPECTS OF SURVIVING THIS
CURRENT WAVE OF CORONAVIRUS.
IT’S A BLACK-OWNED WINERY ABOUT
30 MINUTES FROM HERE.
CHECK OUT THE STORY.
>> Reporter: EVERYBODY HAS HEARD
OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.
IT’S THE LARGEST CITY IN THE
LONESTAR STATE. BUT IF YOU TRAVEL ABOUT 30 MILES
BUT IF YOU TRAVEL ABOUT 30 MILES
WEST, YOU’LL FIND THE CITY OF
KATIE WHICH IS HOME TO A WINERY
OWNED BY A MARINE CORPS VETERAN.
>> I SERVED TWO TOURS OVERSEAS.
>> Reporter: HAD IT OCCURRED TO
YOU TO RUN A BUSINESS?
>> YES, SIR, IT WAS ALWAYS
SOMETHING I WANTED TO DO SINCE I
WAS LITTLE.
>> Reporter: HOW DID YOU GET
INTO THIS BUSINESS?
>> I WAS GOING THROUGH THERAPY
FOR PTSD BECAUSE OF AN INCIDENT
IN THE MARINE CORPS.
THEY TOLD ME TO FIND A HOBBY.
AND I TRIED CAKE MAKING AND I
DON’T WANT TO EAT ANYTHING THAT
I COOK, SO I LANDED ON WINE
MAKING.
WITH EVERY BATCH I FELT LIKE I
WAS BRINGING MYSELF BACK TO
LIFE.
>> Reporter: WITH HER TWO
GRANDMOTHERS AS INSPIRATION FOR
THE NAME, JENNIFER LAUNCHED ERMA
ROSE WINERY IN FEBRUARY 2018.
SHE RUNS IT WITH THE HELP OF HER
MOTHER AND BROTHER.
BUT THE MAIN DRIVING FORCE WAS
HER FATHER.
>> MY DAD HAD STARTED GOING TO
THERAPY WITH ME TO HELP ME
FIGURE OUT MY TRIGGERS AND STUFF
LIKE THAT.
HE JUST BECAME THE BACKBONE IN
ME FINALLY TAKING THE STEP TO
MAKE THE WINE, I WAS AFRAID TO
TAKE THE LEAP.
HE WAS LIKE, GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
HE WAS MY FIRST TASTE TESTER AND
HE WOULD ALWAYS GET SO EXCITED
WHEN I MADE A BATCH.
>> SHE AND MY HUSBAND WERE
MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
I WAS KIND OF IN THE BACKGROUND.
AND THEN RIGHT BEFORE OUR VERY
FIRST EVENT, HE PASSED AWAY
UNEXPECTEDLY.
>> Reporter: THE FAMILY DID
THEIR BEST TO REBOUND AND
EVENTUALLY THE WINE STARTED TO
TAKE OFF.
BUT IN MARCH, COVID HIT,
BRINGING BUSINESS TO A HALT.
>> THOSE FIRST TWO WEEKS WERE
ROUGH, I HAD TO FURLOUGH
EMPLOYEES.
IT WAS SAD.
EVERYTHING WAS UNCERTAINTY.
I DIDN’T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE MY
BUSINESS.
>> Reporter: HOW HAS IT BEEN
SINCE THEN?
>> UP AND DOWN.
AS CORONA SPIKES, WE’LL SEE A
DECREASING CROWD.
BUT WE STILL OFFER OUR CUSTOMERS
CURBSIDE SERVICE.
WE DO TO-GO DAIQUIRIS, PUT THEM
IN POUCHES.
WE DO TO-GO WINE TASTINGS.
SO WE DIDN’T DO THAT BEFORE.
SO YOU CAN GET YOUR WINE TASTING
SHIPPED TO YOUR HOUSE.
I DO A LOT OF VIRTUAL WINE
TASTINGS WITH MY CUSTOMERS.
>> Reporter: THIS IS JENNIFER’S
TASTING ROOM.
I’M TOLD IT TASTES REALLY GOOD.
I DON’T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT,
BECAUSE I’M STILL ON THE CLOCK.
THAT’S ONLY HALF THE BUSINESS.
HERE IS THE OTHER HALF, THIS
GREAT ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE
CAN COME, SIT BACK FOR A COUPLE
OF HOURS AND ENJOY.
TELL ME ABOUT THE CULTURE HERE.
WHAT FEEL DO YOU WANT?
>> I WANT IT TO BE RELAXING
HERE, LIKE YOU’RE AT HOME, AT A
FAMILY REUNION, JUST SOMEWHERE
WHERE YOU CAN RELAX, LET GO,
ENJOY SOME WINE AND EAT GOOD
FOOD.
>> IT ENDS UP BEING A LIVELY
PLACE, SOMETIMES THEY START
COMING IN AT 1:00 AND DON’T EVER
STOP, ESPECIALLY ON A SATURDAY.
THEY’RE HERE UNTIL WE CLOSE,
WHICH IS AT 10:00, SOMETIMES A
LITTLE LONGER.
>> Reporter: WHILE BUSINESS HAS
BEEN GOOD AT TIMES FOR JENNIFER,
THE STARK REALITY IS THAT THE
PANDEMIC IS NOT OVER YET, AND
ALL SMALL BUSINESSES NEED TO
HANG ON FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER FEW
MONTHS.
DO YOU FEEL YOU CAN MAKE IT TO
THE OTHER SIDE?
>> I HOPE SO.
I’M PRETTY CONFIDENT I CAN.
I HAVE A LOYAL CUSTOMER BASE.
I HOPE IT GROWS AND CONTINUES TO
GROW.
>> Reporter: YOU’VE MADE IT THIS
FAR.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT
NOW WHO HAVE THE SAME THOUGHTS,
WHETHER THEY’LL HAVE ENOUGH
MONEY TO BUY SUPPLIES OR PAY THE
RENT OR PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES?
>> TAKE A MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
BREAK.
DON’T KILL YOURSELF THINKING