Vintage '78 Wine Bar

OUR STORY

To say that the leaders at Vintage '78 Wine Bar are devoted to hospitality would be an understatement. With over 75 years of combined industry experience between them, Michael Scherzberg, and Megan Downes have spent the better part of the last decade setting their sights on opening their first independent concept together. Their goals were set high and grand plans were made, but the state of the world changed, putting up unexpected roadblocks. However, for owner Michael Scherzberg, this presented a challenge and an opportunity.

After exploring a few other business ventures and reworking the numbers, Scherzberg saw potential in a smaller, more specific concept. With a new idea in mind, he began to look for a space and unexpectedly found a gem in the growing Downtown Overland Park area. Armed with a plan, the team put their heads together to rethink what a wine bar could be. We knew we could fill a void in the Johnson County restaurant landscape. Months were spent fleshing out the details. No element was too small for consideration and every aspect of the concept from the pricing to the texture of the menus was chosen with the guest in mind.

Our service team was chosen from among the best Kansas City has to offer. They are passionate professionals who share the same dedication to hospitality and excellence in service that are the core of Vintage '78. They are the lifeblood of our business and the future of our company. Our team is here to provide hands-down the best wine experience in Kansas City and beyond. We take our job seriously, but we don't take ourselves too seriously. We believe in providing a fun and inspiring experience that has our guests returning to DRINK WELL MORE OFTEN!

OUR TEAM

MEGAN

General Manager

MEGAN

General Manager

Megan is a native of the Kansas City Metro Area. She worked her way up through the front-of-house in numerous restaurants in Kansas City. In 2011, she joined Michael Scherzberg in opening Gram & Dun, an upscale gastropub concept in Kansas City, Missouri. She quickly became one of the most valuable team members and was tasked with training new hires and leading the service team. She was encouraged to explore her interest in wine and spirits and began the process of sitting the exams for certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers as well as the French Wine Scholar program. Megan was offered the position of Wine Director for the highly lauded destination restaurant Justus Drugstore, north of Kansas City. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier International, a leadership culinary organization composed of women who have not only achieved success in their professions, but who contribute significantly to their communities.

Megan's specialty is marketing, developing bar programs, and front of house training. She has opened and trained staff for a number of upscale concepts and holds a number of certifications, including being BarSmarts Advanced certified. Megan holds a degree in Food & Beverage Management to round out her experience, making her a valuable member of our team.

MICHAEL

Owner

MICHAEL

Owner

Michael was raised in Kansas City, working in restaurants through his teens, before moving to Scottsdale, Arizona to attend Scottsdale Culinary Institute in 1998. After graduating from culinary school at the top of his class, he travelled the world working with the best in the business including Patrick O'Connell at The Inn at Little Washington, Joël Robuchon at l'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in New York City, Joachim Splichal at The Patina Group in Los Angeles, and Jonathan Wright at The Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. Along the way he picked up an Advanced Diploma of International Restaurant Business from Le Cordon Bleu in Adelaide, Australia. In addition to working with established chefs Michael has helped develop and open luxury properties on both coasts - The Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, as well as The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley. Both properties have received top honors from Forbes Travel Guide, AAA, and the Michelin Guide (for Meadowood). His specialty is going into distressed properties and turning them around. Twice he has helped hotels turn around their flagship restaurants which were losing hundreds of thousands of dollars per year by making them profitable while earning the Forbes Five Star Award and the AAA Five Diamond Award.

If Michael's passion is hospitality, then his hobby is wine. He has passed the Advanced Exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers and has sat the Master Sommelier Exam a number of times. He has developed world-class wine programs for a number of restaurants around the world and holds a number of certifications related to wines and spirits.