Sometimes, the most interesting entrepreneurial stories don’t start with a business plan — they begin with a place that captures the imagination. 

For Geneva local Cathy Humphreys and her daughter, Amy Goedken, that place has always been Northern Michigan: the lake views, the slower pace, and the wineries that are unlike anywhere else in the Midwest. 

After years of annual trips up north, it became clear that they hadn’t just fallen in love with the wine (as delicious as it is). They fell in love with the feeling behind it. The hospitality. The storytelling. The sense of slowing down and savoring the moment.

And they wondered: What if they could bring that feeling home?

For Cathy, opening a business anywhere but Geneva was never an option. She has lived here for more than 30 years and sees in her community the same warm, inviting character that defines the best of Northern Michigan. There’s a small-town charm where people come to relax and explore.

“I love Geneva. The quaint character of Third Street, the tight-knit community,” Cathy said. “Especially for the northern Michigan atmosphere — that warm, inviting feeling is so similar to what Geneva offers.”

She searched street by street until she came across an unassuming “For Sale or Lease” sign on a quiet stretch of 2nd Street just north of State Street. The space was empty, full of possibility. She immediately told Amy about it.

And fate was on their side: the building’s owner happened to be from Northern Michigan and knew the very wineries that Cathy and Amy hoped to feature.

They signed the lease, rolled up their sleeves, and transformed the space themselves — painting every wall, building the bar, and bringing in their husbands and friends to help prepare for opening day. 

Just three short months later, in May 2022, Up North Wine Tasting Room opened its doors.

Before they even had a front door key, the mother-daughter duo sent heartfelt emails to their favorite Northern Michigan wineries to gauge their interest in being involved. Within a day, nearly every recipient replied: count us in.

From the start, they made a promise to stick with boutique producers — wines you won’t find at chain stores or on every shelf in the Chicagoland area. 

Soon after opening, they started hosting winemakers for special pairing dinners, a program that continues today. Staff receive monthly education on wine history, food pairings, and the story behind each bottle. Customers who visit the partner wineries up north often have access to VIP treatment, thanks to the deep relationships built here in Geneva.

“Each month, a winemaker and a chef come in for these events,” Cathy said. “They mingle with customers, pour samples of their wine, talk about the food, and just tell them about Northern Michigan. And everything we bring in, we sell on premise for customers to take home.” 

Following the success of these events, the menu expanded — first to ciders and local craft beer, then to an unexpected next chapter: whiskey.

Cathy and Amy now work with Traverse City Whiskey to create exclusive single-barrel offerings and a custom bourbon blend, chosen and crafted with the help of their own whiskey club members. 

More than simple menu items, these are collaborative creations that everyone feels invested in, from the partners up north to the regular local customers who helped contribute input and ideas to the product. 

Up North isn’t just a wine and cocktail bar. It’s a mini getaway — a welcome slowdown from daily life. 

It’s a place where people gather to talk, to celebrate, to hear how Amy’s family is doing, or to swap travel notes on their next northern getaway. Many become wine club or whiskey club members, gaining early or discounted access to events, monthly tastings, and quarterly parties that feel more like a reunion than a transaction.

Others become travel mates, joining the Up North team on group trips to visit the wineries behind the bottles. A few guests have even become staff, drawn in by the welcoming atmosphere they couldn’t get enough of.

And at the center of it all is the mother-daughter duo of Cathy and Amy and their carefully selected employees — all friendly and knowledgeable, putting guests at ease so they can enjoy the moment. 

“We’ve been so lucky, our staff feels like family,” Amy said. “Most of them have been with us since the beginning, and the newer ones fit right in. There’s almost no turnover, because everyone loves being here and loves what we’re doing together.” 

What is now a cozy tasting room once housed a local horse livery in the 1800s, later becoming a car wash, and eventually Hicks Flooring. When members of the Hicks family recently returned to see the revamped space, they were amazed by the transformation. 

That history is important. Cathy and Amy recognize that, and aim to build on it. Where horses once rested and cars freshened up, today people gather to sip, connect, and unwind.

For the Up North team, the best part of this business isn’t the wine or whiskey — it’s the people. It’s watching customers become friends. It’s sending someone north for the first time and hearing them return with stories of their own. 

Upper Michigan may be the source of their inspiration — but the Tri-Cities is where the next chapter unfolds. 

Where: 9 N. 2nd Street | Geneva, IL 60134

Website: www.upnorthwinegeneva.com 

Helpful links: View their event calendar, daily deals and space rental opportunities. 

Get in touch: Call 630-345-6833 or email [email protected]

Up North Wine Tasting Room is a sponsor of Tri-Cities Central. This is sponsored content.

Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.

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