BLOOMFIELD, MO - There may be no better place to while away a summer afternoon than The Boat House Wine Company, where "culture and country peacefully collide."
Located in rural Stoddard County between Bloomfield and Advance, The Boat House Wine Company was born on a wooded lot overlooking a pristine pond. The soothing site was originally destined to become the dream home of David Duncan, who owns a farm equipment business in Sikeston. But that dream home quickly evolved into a dream destination for those who love to eat, drink and be merry.
Duncan purchased and began clearing the land in 2009, and opened The Boat House Wine Company in 2010. Featuring a full bar -- including special blends of local wines -- and a diverse lunch and dinner menu, it quickly became a local hot spot.
"We started out hoping that we could serve 100 people a weekend, and now we're serving up to 400 in just one day." That popularity has already led Duncan to expand the facility twice and add a stage to host live music every weekend.
Satisfying the appetites of music lovers has only added to the appeal of The Boat House. Hundreds flock there every weekend to hear the likes of up-and-coming country artist Candy Coburn, fan favorite Lorrie Morgan -- and many more.
To keep the fun flowing, Duncan relies on SEMO to keep the power flowing. At any given time, nine compressors are running to power refrigerators, freezers and walk-in coolers, so a lengthy power outage can present more than an inconvenience.
That's why Duncan "raises a glass" to the SEMO Electric team for providing what he calls "impeccable" service. From the field crews to the engineers, Duncan says "SEMO employees are some of the most amazing people I've worked with."
"Amazing" might also describe an afternoon of The Boat House Wine Company, where patrons can wine and dine in nature. It would have made a beautiful family homestead, but as David Duncan says, "When I saw how beautiful it was here, I just had to share it."