Blaine County Beacon: Combining a Love for Food and Art
May 12, 2021
After Shanna Holmes graduated in 1998 from Chinook High School, she pursued religious studies by attending Rocky Mountain Ministry Center in Choteau, Montana, and participated in a ministry-based internship program for two years from 2001-2003. Aside from a few volunteer positions with youth groups, however, she didn't pursue any ministry positions beyond that.
Instead, Holmes traveled to Oregon, where she worked as a vault teller at a bank. Here, in 2003 she met Tim Wiegman, who was the finance director for a local non-profit. "He would bring in deposits, and that's basically how we met," Holmes said.
The couple married in September 2004 and later relocated to Boise, where they lived for five years. Then, in 2010, the two moved to Florida, where Wiegman worked at Summerlin Animal Hospital in Fort Myers. Four years later, her husband was offered a finance job in Tampa, so the couple relocated again.
When their daughter, McKinley Grace, was born in May of 2016, Wiegman changed her profession to stay-at-home mom. Their son, Bennett David joined the family in April 2018.
Together, the couple enjoys hosting dinner parties, and Wiegman claims pleasure in preparing food, so the idea of designing charcuterie boards was a natural progression. "I have always had an interest in art, and a few years ago, I saw some charcuterie board ideas on Pinterest. These inspired me to combine my love of food and art."
In addition to the charcuterie boards, Wiegman has made healthy snack jars for play dates and charcuterie cones for appetizers. When friends expressed interest in purchasing them, the idea of a business was born.
"It's so rewarding to be a small part of bringing people together again after Covid with grazing boards," Wiegman said. "And nothing says TGIF like charcuterie and wine!"
At this point, designing charcuterie boards remains a profitable hobby for Wiegman, as she is still in the beginning stages of pursuing an official business by conducting a soft launch. However, she has reported being pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest she has experienced and encourages others who enjoy a hobby or pastime. "It's worth it to test the waters and see if there is potential for business growth. At the very least, you will learn a lot about yourself in the process."
One satisfied customer-referring to the charcuterie boards that Wiegman had designed-reported: "This is my absolute favorite meal to have on holidays, on vacation, or really any night of the week. Shanna made us an awesome Super Bowl charcuterie board, and it was fantastic. Then she delivered these adorable Valentine's Day boards this morning, and I can't get over what a great job she did! Her attention to detail is amazing. The meats, cheeses, and fruits she selects are fresh and high quality. And they all complement each other so nicely. If you're looking for a delicious charcuterie board, feel free to reach out to Shanna for your next event or holiday (or weekend you don't want to cook). You won't be disappointed!"
At Easter time, Wiegman posted pictures and this invitation on Facebook: "If any Tampa friends are interested in pre-ordering an Easter board, I have four still available. Each 10.5" x 13" board generously serves eight as an appetizer and includes dry salami, aged sharp cheddar, Brie, purple cauliflower, snap peas, tri-color carrots, seasoned hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit, nuts, and a few fun Easter treats, with a choice of freshly prepared ranch or hummus and crackers on the side. I'm offering free delivery in South Tampa on Saturday, April third and will package them to hold overnight refrigerated."
Wiegman is currently working on a business name and branding, and she would somehow like to incorporate the name of her late grandmother Fern Holmes. "Grandma taught me how to cook and was always preparing meals and entertaining. To incorporate her in some way would not only honor her memory but express my gratitude to her."
With two active preschoolers requiring a majority of her time, the most challenging aspect of this new business venture for Wiegman has been balancing the needs of family while also delivering a quality product to clients. "I'm still in the beginning stages of pursuing this as an official business, but I hope to expand depending on demand."
When she has the time for leisure, Wiegman enjoys going to the beach, riding her bike, playing tennis, cheering on the Florida sports teams: Buccaneers, Lightning, and Rays; or walking along the Tampa Riverwalk-a 2.6-mile open space and pedestrian trail development along the Hillsborough River.