Urban Grape Award Founders Get Bold in Globe Series
TJ and Hadley Douglas, owners of Boston’s South End wine retailer Urban Grape and founders of the BU Food & Wine Urban Grape Wine Studies Award for Students of Color, were the subject of the latest entry in the Boston Globe’s Bold Type series, which spotlights Boston-area entrepreneurs dedicated to making an impact on the city’s future.
Last year, the Douglases founded the Urban Grape Wine Studies Award, dedicated to fostering greater equity and inclusion in the world of wine by providing students of color with the mentorship, education, and work experience needed to thrive in the field. Award-winners are granted scholarships to the four-level Certificate Program in Wine Studies offered by the Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center at BU MET—owner TJ is a program alum—as well as work-study opportunities at Urban Grape.
“We’ve always had the dual meaning of Drink Progressively,” Hadley told the Globe, describing the business’s slogan and ethos. “Drink on the progressive scale but also vote with your dollars and sip in a more conscious way,” she explained.
Visit the Boston Globe to watch the Bold Type video interview.