SAY 'FOOS!' Tucked away in a 580 square foot venue along downtown Menomonie's Main Street, Foos Wine Club now offers locals and visitors the chance to enjoy a curated selection of wines by the bottle and glass. Starting at $8 per glass and $15 per bottle of wine, its four co-owners envision a space where good drinks are both accessible and most importantly, spark conversation to discover something new.

When exploring a familiar city, few feelings compare to the triumph of discovering something new, known only to a select few. It’s in these euphoric moments (even better, when they coincide with a Friday night out) one can simply get lost in the joy of a new space and the new people who come along for the experience.

Don’t believe me? We’re here to make our case with the Chippewa Valley’s latest “hidden gem,” Foos Wine Club (332 Main St. E, Menomonie). It’s here that thoughtful planning – and consideration to all the senses – elicits an enriching experience for both the wine curious and vino experts.

Modeled by wine bars found in cities across the Midwest – from Milwaukee and Madison to Minneapolis, Minn. – Foos Wine Club aims to bring innovative simplicity to the residents of Menomonie.

“The idea of the space was always (to become) somewhere where my friends and I could hang out and we could have wine (and) could buy wine,” Nick Klug, co-owner of Foos Wine Club, said. “We wanted something to kind of focus on that hangout aspect, like a social club.”

“We decided to build that around the idea of foosball,” Nick added, a self-proclaimed enthusiast of the tabletop sport.

In this spirit, the Main Street venue – with close to 600 square feet to its name – strikes a balance between the joy of play and the comfort of nostalgia. This duality flows directly into Foos’ selection of six white and six red wines, twelve for each quarter of the year.

Stepping into Foos Wine Club this July, following the debut of its by-the-glass services, reveals an inviting atmosphere: natural light refracts off chartreuse walls, a record player crackles with each new song and a polished, simplified drink menu awaits.

The exterior of Foos Wine Club along Main Street in downtown Menomonie, pictured above. Dan Lang, designer behind Foos' branding, offers a nod the shape and structure of foosball tables through its logo.

Foos Wine Club is currently on "Volume 1 / Issue 3" of its wine menu; the venue opened in May of 2026 and continues to offer a rotating selection six white and six red wines for each quarter of the year.

Nick, with over a decade of experience working as a wine distributor in Chicago – a journey with roots in the wine aisle of a La Crosse Festival Foods – prioritizes both elevated terroir and accessible sips at his new wine bar.

With the help of his fellow co-owners – a quartet consisting of Nick, Theresa Herring, Dan and Stacy Lang – patrons see the fruits of their distinct professional backgrounds, local connections and specialized skills.

Nick’s relationships with independent distributors, such as Chromatic Wine Company of Milwaukee, allow Foos Wine Club to provide its desired high elevation, low intervention and “rock grown” specialty wines at an accessible cost to the consumer.

Each new volume of wines available at Foos traverses vineyards such as Slovenia, Germany and the Czech Republic, among others – sharing new stories in each bottle, Nick said.

“The idea of the space was always (to become) somewhere where my friends and I could hang out and we could have wine (and) could buy wine ... We decided to build that around the idea of foosball.” –Nick Klug, co-owner of Foos Wine Club

Bonny Doon Vineyard’s Picpoul became a popular choice during my recent night out; a vibrant white wine with the nickname “lip stinger” – thanks to its high, tongue-tingling acidity. Priced at just $8 a glass and $15 for the bottle, Stacy guided me and guests through its refreshing sensory notes of lemon zest, green apple and briny sea spray.

Known locally by the community as “Chef Stacy,” she has earned a reputation through the years; formerly operating her own Menomonie eatery, Stacked, she now nourishes locals via pop-up ventures at brewery nønic – and soon, Foos Wine Club.

The aesthetic vision of the venue owes its allure to Dan, a University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic senior lecturer of design, whose influence ensured the Foos logo’s shadow would dance across the shop as the night carried on.

Under his creative direction, even the humble matchbook has transformed into the joint’s most coveted piece of merchandise.

As we shared a game of foosball (it was Dan’s team who ultimately won after a few rounds) the Langs credited Nick and Theresa for the venue’s capacity to foster connections between like-minded individuals in downtown Menomonie.

Foosball is a fast-paced tabletop soccer game, the owners said. Players control "foosmen" attached to rods and the objective is simple: manipulate the handles to pass and shoot the ball into your opponent's net.

Often shown through Foos’ social media online, there’s always a jam or two playing on the record player to pair with each wine – from folk rock’s Kevin Morby to country outlaw Charley Crockett. Wine – much like music – Nick said, has become a universally appreciated medium where he could use his knowledge in beverages to educate others in a fun, non-intimidating way.

“There are a lot of correlations between wine and music,” Nick said. “When I am describing wine to people, I like to use musical terms – tone is a big one.”

“When you have a really high tone, (the wine is) very bright – maybe a high acid, maybe light fruit,” Nick continued. “Very low tones are maybe heavier (wines).”

For those who prefer a more immersive exploration than a simple glass, the Foos Cork Club invites guests to embark on a sipping experience around the globe. Its monthly rates begin at $15/person, with a yearly sign up of $165/person.

In the social club, members gain access to exclusive pricing on Foos’ rotating wines, a 5% in-store discount and priority invitations to the venue’s upcoming gatherings – from future Chef Stacy dinners to “Wine Curious to Wine Confident” tastings.

Regardless of how consumed by metropolitan wine scenes I may become, there comes a point where the body begins to yearn for something close to home. Thanks to Foos Wine Club, locals don’t have to travel far to connect with the rest of the world through high-quality drink and more importantly, one another.

Foos Wine Club (332 Main St. E, Menomonie) is open Thursdays and Fridays from 3pm-8pm; Saturdays from 12pm-8pm. Visit fooswine.com or its social media (@fooswineclub) to learn more about rotating wines and special events.