Our Story
The Cooley Bay story began in December of 2014 when Tom Busch purchased an acre of land where a small cinder-block building sat vacant on the site of an abandoned Southwestern Bell tower. In the early 90’s, the tower was destroyed in a severe storm and the building remained vacant for decades. That was until the dream to create a local winery with a small town feel soon became a reality in August 2017.
In the first few years, Tom’s brother-in-law Mark joined the team and brought character, charisma and a love of wine to the business. Rumor has it that during the pandemic years, Tom and Mark even lived at the winery day and night making flatbread pizzas and delivering wine curbside to keep the business afloat and thriving.
In 2022, Tom rekindled and old friendship, and in the process, met the love of his life, Jana Bennett, a long-time customer and Cooley Bay’s 18th Wine Club Member! After countless events, festivals, tastings and dates, Tom and Jana were married on the patio at Cooley Bay in November 2022. Ready for their new journey ahead, Tom and Jana officially sold Cooley Bay to William and Jennifer Windlow in December of 2024.
William has been a home brewer for 20 years and brought his love of beer to Cooley Bay in the summer of 2025. Now serving in-house made craft beer, ciders, and meads, we are committed to providing even more quality drinking options to our patrons. Jennifer has a long standing history of crafting and has brought a creative flair to the business while focusing on customer satisfaction and entertainment.
Both William and Jennifer have over 20 years of community involvement including volunteer service at organizations such as Sherman Chamber of Commerce, CASA of Grayson County, The Wilson N. Jones Foundation, The Rehabilitation Center of Sherman, Boys & Girls Club, and Texoma Soccer Association.
We are truly honored to continue the excellence and traditions of Cooley Bay all while paying tribute to the legacy that Tom, Jana, and Mark have created for our city. We love being a staple in our hometown. Thank you to the Van Alstyne community for the love, support, and being a part of our journey.
