You’ve been there. Balancing a drink in one hand, a plate of hors d’oeuvres in the other, trying to shake hands, chat, and look like you’ve got it all together. It’s nearly impossible. Bob Barrow and Charles Tansey were in the same boat—until they decided to do something about it.
Bob and Charles met as neighbors in Bristol, Rhode Island, both recently retired and looking for a new challenge. Bob had a rich background in woodworking, a trade passed down through three generations of his family in Indiana. After serving in the Navy, Bob built his own successful woodworking business. Charles, on the other hand, came from an academic family in California, went to Andover and Brown, and spent decades in the fast-paced world of finance. Though their paths were different, they both shared a love for solving problems and creating something with their hands.
At a cocktail party one evening, they got to talking about how awkward these events can be. You either hold your food or your drink, but doing both? Forget it. Charles, who spent a much of his career attending networking events in New York and DC, knew the struggle well. You need a free hand to greet people and pass out business cards, but most trays are awkward and flimsy, or just don’t exist at all. So, Bob and Charles dared each other: could they come up with a better way? A tray that’s attractive, easy to carry, holds both a drink and food, and doesn’t make you feel awkward. Challenge accepted.
It wasn’t easy. They experimented with designs and materials for two years, testing different ideas and scrapping most of them. Then, while on a trip to Tuscany, Bob and his wife noticed something that sparked an idea. People at local parties were using artist’s palettes to carry their food. Simple, lightweight, and elegant—these palettes solved a lot of the problems they’d been wrestling with. So, they took that inspiration and ran with it.
What if a cocktail tray worked like an artist’s palette, resting on the top of the hand with the weight distributed near the wrist, not between your thumb and fingers? And what if that tray also had a slot to hold your glass, leaving you free to snack, sip, and shake hands all at once? It was the perfect solution.
After some tinkering, they found the winning design: a tray that balances weight perfectly, with room for your drink and food, so you can mingle without the stress of juggling. They tried different materials, but hardwoods like Cherry, Mahogany, Maple, Oak, and Walnut felt right—beautiful, durable, and surprisingly lightweight. Cherry, for instance, weighs just 4 ounces, making it easy to carry even when loaded with food and drink.
At first, it was just a fun project. Bob and Charles made the trays for themselves and a few friends. But soon, they couldn’t attend a party without someone asking where they got those amazing trays. Clearly, they weren’t the only ones who wanted to solve the cocktail party problem. And just like that, Artisan Wine Trays was born.
Today, Bob and Charles’ trays have become more than just a party hack—they’re a statement piece. Each tray is handcrafted with care, designed to make your life easier without sacrificing style. And they didn’t stop with just one design. Thanks to feedback from customers, Artisan Wine Trays now offers a range of sizes and styles, including Couplets and Wine Flights, so there’s something for everyone.
At the end of the day, Bob and Charles didn’t set out to start a business—they set out to solve a problem. But along the way, they realized that the best solutions come from combining passion with practicality. Artisan Wine Trays is about more than just trays. It’s about bringing a little ease and elegance to life’s simple moments, whether you’re at a cocktail party or just enjoying a glass of wine at home.
Because sometimes, it’s the little things—like not having to choose between holding your drink or your snack—that make all the difference.
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