Meet Katy & Michelle, the founders of Uva

Uva is the brainchild of two local wine enthusiasts, Katy Thayer and Michelle Manware. Back in 2017, Katy and Michelle discovered self-serve WineStations at a bar while on vacation in Grand Cayman. That vacation turned out to be a pivotal moment in their lives as it sparked a brilliant new idea for the two South Shore moms – why not bring this unique concept back home?

Michelle has spent her professional career as a full time Physician Assistant working for several OB-Gyn practices on the South Shore. She is currently employed at BID-Plymouth Ob-Gyn & Midwifery and sees patients on the days she is not at Uva. Throughout her adult life, Michelle has also pursued her interest in learning about the pleasures of wine as a hobby. She has taken several wine education courses across the country, including Napa Valley, and most recently completed the first level certification course with the Court of Master Sommeliers so it is only natural that she is the designated “wine director” at Uva.

Katy’s background is in marketing and public relations. She has spent the past 20 years operating her own PR agency so her experience in media relations, social media branding and marketing has proven to be a valuable asset in creating Uva. Katy has always been interested in wine and learning about the different varietals and regions so the idea of starting a new business owning a wine bar was not totally out of left field for her. At Uva, Katy manages the day to day business operations, events and marketing efforts to help spread the word about the South Shore’s only self-serve wine bar.

Katy and Michelle also share one other thing in common – both are single moms. They both juggle their now part-time “day jobs,” are raising teenagers, and following their passion to create a fun place where others can taste and enjoy wines from around the world.

Next time you visit Uva and you see Katy or Michelle, introduce yourself; we love to get to know our customers!