Dusty's Cellar
Dusty's Cellar is a family-owned, multi-concept hospitality business in Okemos, Michigan, operating a fine dining Wine Bar, a casual Tap Room, and a retail Cellar with bakery, catering, private events, and a monthly Wine Club subscription serving Mid-Michigan consumers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersOkemos, mi, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Dusty's Cellar does
Dusty's Cellar is a privately-held, family-owned multi-concept hospitality business headquartered in Okemos, Michigan, operating three co-located venues on West Grand River Avenue: a fine dining Wine Bar (open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner), a casual Tap Room neighborhood pub with 21 rotating Michigan craft beer taps, and a retail Cellar store plus bakery. Founded in 1981 by Clarence "Dusty" Rhodes, a former sports announcer and Michigan State University distinguished alumnus, the company has been owned since 1995 by his son Matt Rhodes and wife Caryn Rhodes, with three generations of the family involved in operations. The business is supported by a 27-person team and serves Mid-Michigan consumers through approximately six distinct revenue streams.
The company monetizes through a diversified mix of channels: transactional food and beverage sales across the Wine Bar and Tap Room, retail wine and beer sales plus bakery items at the Cellar, a monthly subscription wine club ($66/month for six wines), full-service off-premise catering, four private dining rooms (seating 10-42 guests with reservation fees and minimum spend requirements), and ancillary retail products including handcrafted gift baskets, custom wine labels ($15/bottle), gift cards, and branded merchandise. Distribution is omnichannel within the Mid-Michigan region: in-person dining and retail at the three physical locations, online ordering for pickup, gift basket shipping (Michigan only for alcohol, nationwide for non-alcohol items), and third-party reservations via Explore Tock. Marketing is concentrated on Facebook, Instagram, email newsletter, and word-of-mouth reputation built over four decades.
The business model is fundamentally a regional consumer hospitality operator with no disclosed technology platform, proprietary IP, patents, AI/ML capabilities, or external institutional ownership. Pricing varies materially by concept — Wine Bar entrees range $21-$39, Tap Room entrees $13-$20, private dining has $400-$1,000 minimums — reflecting the deliberate multi-price-point positioning. Geographic expansion is restricted by alcohol shipping regulations to within Michigan, capping a meaningful portion of potential e-commerce reach. No external funding has been raised and no parent company or subsidiary structure exists.
Dusty's Cellar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dusty's Cellar
- Legal name
- dustyscellar.com
- Website
- https://dustyscellar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dusty's Cellar is a family-owned, multi-concept hospitality business in Okemos, Michigan, operating a fine dining Wine Bar, a casual Tap Room, and a retail Cellar with bakery, catering, private events, and a monthly Wine Club subscription serving Mid-Michigan consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dusty's Cellar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Restaurant & Hospitality Services
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine Bars (THAFAEAF)
Keywords
Where Dusty's Cellar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Okemos, mi
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dusty's Cellar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Wine Bar Fine Dining: Full-service upscale restaurant offering fine dining with extensive wine selection and seasonal menu items. Revenue from food and beverage sales during dinner service (Tuesday-Saturday 4:30pm-9pm).
- Tap Room Casual Dining: Neighborhood pub serving 21 rotating Michigan craft beer taps, cocktails, and pub fare. Revenue from food and beverage sales with casual dining atmosphere.
- Cellar Retail Store: Retail wine and beer shop, gourmet foods, custom cakes and pastries, unique gifts, and gift baskets. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 11am-5pm.
- Wine Club Subscription: Monthly subscription program offering 6 premium wines for $66/month. Members receive 10% discount on single bottles and 15% off 6+ bottles. Pickup at Cellar on 1st of each month.
- Catering Services: Off-premise catering for private events, corporate functions, and parties. Menu includes platters, buffets, and boxed lunches.
- Gift Baskets and Retail Products: Handcrafted gourmet gift baskets with local and artisan products including wine, beer, cheese, snacks. Custom orders available. Shipping within Michigan for alcohol, nationwide for non-alcohol items.
- Custom Wine Labels: Personalized wine labels for special occasions. $15/bottle with $10-$20 setup fee. Reduced pricing for bulk orders.
- Private Dining Rooms: Four private dining rooms (Napa Room, Tuscan Room, Leelanau Patio, Bordeaux Room) seating 10-42 guests. Revenue from room reservations and minimum food/beverage purchases.
- Gourmet To-Go Meals: Prepared meals available for takeout, serving cold for reheating at home. Fresh preparations made daily. Larger portions available with 48 hours notice.
- Bakery and Pastry: Fresh baked goods including pastries, cakes, cheesecakes, pies, tortes, and custom orders. Available for retail purchase and catering.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wine Bar Fine Dining |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tap Room Casual Dining |
| Subscription | Monthly | Wine Club Membership |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gourmet To-Go |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bakery and Pastry |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Private Dining Rooms |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Wine Labels |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels6 records
Dusty's Cellar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dusty's Cellar is a multi-concept hospitality and specialty food retail business in Okemos, Michigan, operating three connected venues under one roof: a fine-dining Wine Bar, a casual Tap Room, and The Cellar (a retail store for wine, craft beer, gourmet foods, and bakery items). The company also runs a recurring wine club subscription, full-service catering, private dining events, gourmet to-go meals, gift baskets, gift cards, and custom-labeled wines.
Product overview
Dusty's Cellar is a multi-venue hospitality business consisting of a fine dining Wine Bar, a casual Tap Room neighborhood pub, and a retail Cellar with bakery. The company operates a subscription-based Wine Club (6 for $66), offers catering services for private and corporate events across four private dining rooms (Napa, Tuscan, Leelanau Patio, and Bordeaux), and provides retail products including Gourmet To-Go meals, gift baskets, custom wine labels, gift cards, bakery items, and branded merchandise. These offerings are coordinated through its retail locations in Okemos, MI, with catering menus and wine club subscriptions providing recurring revenue channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 6 for $66 Wine Club: Monthly wine club offering six highly rated wines for $66 with exclusive discounts on all wine purchases.
Products and services
- Wine Bar (Fine Dining) On-premise fine-dining restaurant at the Okemos location serving multi-course meals paired with a curated wine list, targeting adult diners in the Lansing area seeking an upscale sit-down experience.
- Tap Room (Casual Pub) Casual on-premise pub at the Okemos venue offering lighter fare and craft beer in a relaxed atmosphere for walk-in guests and casual diners.
- The Cellar (Retail Wine, Beer, Gourmet, and Bakery) Retail store at the same Okemos location selling wines, craft beers, gourmet foods, and house-baked goods to walk-in customers and gift buyers.
- Wine Club Subscription Recurring wine subscription program (e.g., 6 bottles for $66) offered through The Cellar, giving members regular curated wine selections on an ongoing basis.
- Catering Services Off-premise catering with a dedicated catering menu for corporate events, private parties, weddings, and other gatherings in the Lansing, Michigan region.
- Private Dining Rooms Dedicated private dining spaces inside the Okemos venue available for booked events, business dinners, and celebrations, supported by the in-house kitchen and beverage program.
- Gourmet To-Go Meals Take-out prepared meals from the Dusty's Cellar kitchen for customers who want restaurant-quality food to eat at home.
- Bakery & Pastries In-house bakery offering breads and pastries sold through The Cellar retail counter and used across the dining concepts.
- Gift Baskets Pre-assembled and custom gift baskets combining wines, beers, gourmet items, and bakery products, sold through The Cellar for personal and corporate gifting.
- Gift Cards Stored-value gift cards redeemable across Dusty's Cellar's Wine Bar, Tap Room, Cellar, and catering services.
- Custom Wine Labels Service that lets customers put personalized labels on selected wines for gifts, weddings, and corporate events, fulfilled through The Cellar.
Companies that use Dusty's Cellar
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dusty's Cellar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Dusty's Cellar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Dusty's Cellar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wildfire: Midwest-based upscale American chain featuring steaks, seafood, and a wine-focused menu. Comparable to Dusty's Wine Bar fine dining segment, particularly for special-occasion dining.
- Seasons 52: Darden-owned fresh grill and wine bar concept emphasizing seasonal menus and an extensive wine list. Comparable to Dusty's Wine Bar fine dining with curated wine program and rotating menus.
- Wine Country Gift Baskets: Online retailer specializing in wine, beer, and gourmet gift baskets shipped nationwide. Directly comparable to Dusty's gift basket e-commerce line, including the alcohol-shipping business model.
- Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants: National wine-focused casual-upscale restaurant chain combining a winery, restaurant, and retail wine shop. Most directly comparable to Dusty's multi-concept model (fine dining + casual + wine retail) under a unified brand.
Broad incumbents
- The Capital Grille: Darden-owned upscale steakhouse chain with extensive wine program. Comparable to Dusty's Wine Bar fine dining segment, particularly for private dining and wine-pairing experiences.
- Bonefish Grill: Darden-owned casual upscale dining chain with a focus on fresh ingredients and a curated bar program. Comparable to Dusty's Tap Room casual concept, though at national scale.
- Total Wine & More: Largest U.S. independent wine, beer, and spirits retailer with in-store tastings and educational events. Comparable to Dusty's Cellar retail store and Wine Club subscription components, though at much greater scale.
Regional players
- Binny's Beverage Depot: Midwest-based multi-store wine, beer, and spirits retailer with strong craft beer selection. Comparable to Dusty's Cellar retail component and Tap Room craft beer positioning, though Chicago-focused rather than Michigan-based.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Dusty's Cellar social profiles
Digital presenceDusty's Cellar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dusty's Cellar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Dusty's Cellar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dusty's Cellar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dusty's Cellar
What does Dusty's Cellar do?
Dusty's Cellar is a multi-concept hospitality and specialty food retail business in Okemos, Michigan, operating three connected venues under one roof: a fine-dining Wine Bar, a casual Tap Room, and The Cellar (a retail store for wine, craft beer, gourmet foods, and bakery items). The company also runs a recurring wine club subscription, full-service catering, private dining events, gourmet to-go meals, gift baskets, gift cards, and custom-labeled wines.
Is Dusty's Cellar a public or private company?
Dusty's Cellar is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Dusty's Cellar founded?
Dusty's Cellar was founded in 1981. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dusty's Cellar based?
Dusty's Cellar is headquartered in Okemos, mi, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dusty's Cellar make money?
Ten revenue lines are on record. Wine Bar Fine Dining is the primary driver. The others are tap Room Casual Dining, cellar Retail Store, wine Club Subscription, catering Services, gift Baskets and Retail Products, custom Wine Labels, private Dining Rooms, gourmet To-Go Meals and bakery and Pastry.
Who are Dusty's Cellar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wildfire, Seasons 52, Wine Country Gift Baskets and Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants. Broad incumbents are The Capital Grille, Bonefish Grill and Total Wine & More. Binny's Beverage Depot is listed as a regional player.
Does Dusty's Cellar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dusty's Cellar.
What industry is Dusty's Cellar in?
Dusty's Cellar's product category is Restaurant & Hospitality Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAEAF, Wine Bars. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.