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Unplug, unwind and settle into the simple life
June 8, 2026
PLOVER – What Renee Perzinski said started as a playful joke between her and her husband, Clayton, has evolved into Plover’s newest watering hole – Stone Harvest Wine Lounge.
“I would always joke around with my husband, ‘We should open a winery,’” she said. “Then, at the beginning of this year, we were weighing out our pros and cons, and we thought, ‘Why not? Let’s do it – let’s just take the leap.’ It’s scary, but we’re super excited.”
Prior to becoming first-time entrepreneurs and wine bar proprietors, Perzinski said she and Clayton spent years traveling across Wisconsin to check out local wineries.
“It was just something we ended up enjoying, and we would do it every weekend,” she said. “We would take mini vacations, and make sure we Googled what wineries were around our area. We’d make stops and just check them all out, [because] we really like the atmosphere of when you go to a winery, and we enjoy wine ourselves.”
Building on their interest in wine, Perzinski said the decision to open a wine lounge in Plover removed the need for winemaking equipment and associated overhead.
“We’re working with wineries throughout Wisconsin bringing in their wines,” she said.
The initial group of Wisconsin wineries Stone Harvest will feature, Perzinski said, includes:
- Drumlin Ridge Winery in Waunakee
- Cold Country Vine & Wine in Kewaunee
- Lunch Creek Vineyards and Winery in Neshkoro
- Mona Rosé Winery in Green Bay
- Baraboo Bluff Winery in Baraboo
- Broken Bottle Winery in Wisconsin Dells
Perzinski said they are also working with another winery, selecting wines from its offerings and bottling a couple with their own labels.
Though Stone Harvest will also feature wines sourced from outside the Badger State, Perzinski said the goal is to spotlight local makers.
“We are sourcing outside of Wisconsin as well, working with some distributors to bring in some real quality wine, but the focus [is] on Wisconsin,” she said.
‘And here we are’
Located at 3253 Mecca Drive in Plover, Perzinski said the building she and Clayton are leasing used to house Lucke’s Bar prior to its recent closing.
“Unfortunately, that business closed, [but] I happened to know the owner of the building, and one night we ran into him,” she said.
Despite having a number of interested parties approach him regarding the building’s availability, Perzinski said the idea for Stone Harvest rose above its competition.
“I shared my idea with him, he loved it and here we are,” she said. “I think it’s a really nice location… over by Lake Pacawa – it’s like walking distance – and it’s a very spacious building.”
Though she plans to maintain her job outside of Stone Harvest, Perzinski said her eventual goal is to become a full-time entrepreneur.
“My husband is staying full-time at his job, and I just went part-time with the hopes that everything will just take off running and [I can] devote 100% [of my time] there,” she said.
With two operational garage doors, Perzinski said she and Clayton are excited to offer their patrons an indoor/outdoor experience.
“We’re able to combine a lounge area along with a sitting area with tall tables, short tables and outdoor seating,” she said. “You can pick and choose what you’re in the mood for.”
As a former bar, Perzinski said the space needed some changes to align with its updated atmosphere.
“[It had] the pool tables, the dart boards, the bag toss games [and] they had those on the floor,” she said. “We took all of that out of there, we took all the furniture out of there, got brand-new furniture, [and we’re] painting. I have a very artistic family member, so we gave her some ideas of what we were envisioning.”
Utilizing comfy furniture and soft accents, Perzinski said Stone Harvest offers a welcoming environment that encourages patrons to sit and stay awhile.
“For the furniture, we got couches and rugs because [the building has] concrete [walls and floors],” she said. “[We wanted to] make it feel a little more cozier in certain areas throughout the layout, for it to be a little more relaxing.”
Describing Stone Harvest as a “true family venture,” Perzinski said she, Clayton and their four children – Trevor, Trent, Tanner and Tristen – have played a collaborative role in its early success.
“This vision is… made possible by the love and support of my husband and children,” she said. “It feels amazing to work together as a team to bring Stone Harvest Wine Lounge to life.”
Highlighting Wisconsin wine
Outside of his role supporting her and Stone Harvest, Perzinski said Clayton is a potato farmer.
“He’s been a farmer his entire life,” she said.
When ideating a name for the wine lounge, Perzinski said she decided to pay homage to his profession.
“Every year when they have to get the fields ready, there are always stones in the fields [they have to remove],” she said. “With his background, it just kind of came [to me] – and that’s how I got Stone Harvest.”
In addition to wine, Perzinski said Stone Harvest patrons can shop a selection of local goods and enjoy popular fare from area restaurants.
“We are also working with a few other local businesses to get prepackaged cheeses, sausages and crackers, so you can create your own charcuterie boards,” she said. “Then we’re working with a local establishment, Springville Sports Barn, [to bring] in his cheese fries, and then also have everybody’s favorite – Portesi [Italian Food’s] pizza.”
As the weather continues to warm, Perzinski said they are looking forward to hosting live music events at Stone Harvest.
“It’ll be a great space to have entertainment, especially on a nice summer day,” she said. “Then we also intend on having beer, fine bourbons and some pre-made cocktails, too, for the non-wine lovers.”
Perzinski said both she and Clayton are “born and raised” in Plover – making the opening of Stone Harvest an exciting event on both a personal and professional level.
“I am most excited to bring something new to our area,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a great place to just relax – you’re not going to have to [talk] over machines or games going on… [and] I’m looking forward to seeing people being able to socialize.”
As a self-described “social person [who] loves communication,” Perzinski said she’s enjoyed meeting other local business owners
“It blows my mind how other business owners are excited and… rooting for everybody [else],” she said. “Everybody [has had] very open arms, and I’m excited to be part of that.”
However, above all else, Perzinski said she’s excited for Stone Harvest to showcase Wisconsin wineries and “highlight how unique each one is.”
Follow Stone Harvest Wine Lounge on Facebook for more.
