She named her venture as a nod to her Native American roots. “There’s not a lot of Native American owned businesses in [Tualatin Valley]. I wanted to have some sort of heritage meaning to the name,” Jules explained. “The Harvest Moon is the brightest [phase of the moon] where Native Americans can go gather crops when it’s cold, or when it cools down and there’s more light for them.”
Her idea started at the Tigard Farmers market, where she met a local councilwoman who told her about the city’s Launch Pod Business Incubator Program.
“[Tigard] has really been putting in the effort to bring new small businesses into their downtown,” Jules said. “They’re trying to make it a more diverse community.”
Why sangria? She read a poll that illustrated that people were drinking less, but still wanted a cocktail experience. Sangria is the type of beverage that can be made with our without alcohol (and sugar content can also be controlled).
Another reason: Oregon is known for its wine and she wanted to rethink how people can enjoy wine differently.
“I love a wine bar, don’t get me wrong, but it’s like, we have so much,” she said. “I wanted to use something that was in our backyard and provide a new drink for people.”
She used her mixology background to make her first inspired sangria, an “Old Fashioned,” which tastes like a whiskey Old Fashioned without the whiskey. She continued to experiment and her creative drinks include her signature sangria, “Moody Moon,” made with pomegranate, blood orange and cinnamon.
All of her sangrias can be made alcohol-free, and sugar levels may also be adjusted. In addition to sangria, Harvest Moon also has a diverse menu with brunch and lunch items. The sangria bar is open Wednesday-Sunday and closes at 7 p.m.
