Rich Strylowski and his wife, Debbie, moved to the rural, picturesque surroundings of Custer Park in the early 2000s and essentially were working with a blank canvas on the property they acquired.

“We moved here about 25 years ago, for a totally different reason,” Strylowski said. “We bought several acres here, and I was going to do something else that didn’t pan out. We asked ourselves, ‘What are we going to do with all of this land that we have?’”

The answer came soon enough as the couple explored different possibilities. As it turned out, nature – more specifically, the Kankakee River – played an important part in the equation.

“We did some research and came to realize that the soils here are perfect for growing grapes,” Strylowski said, pointing out the immediate area is filled with rich, sandy soil attributed to melted glaciers in the last ice age. Soil conditions on the Strylowskis’ property are similar to those of Napa Valley.

By 2008, the seeds for what became Mistie Hill Vineyard were planted, and the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

“We planted our first vines that year,” Strylowski said. “It takes a couple of years for the vines to mature and get a useful crop out of them.”

Mistie Hill Vineyard was recognized for Excellence in Hospitality in The Daily Journal’s 2026 Progress Awards – recognition of the Strylowskis’ commitment to cultivating a warm, welcoming environment within their shop.

Several types of vines – including St. Croix and Brianna – were planted during that pivotal first year. By 2010, the initial harvest was ready, and the couple began the wine production process.

“It came out great, and we just continued expanding on that in the next several years, planting more and more and more,” Strylowski said. “Now we have about 3,000 vines, altogether.”

While Mistie Hill’s origins stretch back to 2008, the local winery’s metamorphosis into its current form as a customer-facing shop is more recent. Initially, the Strylowskis planned on selling their wine wholesale, but they eventually pivoted.

“It wasn’t going at the pace that we wanted it to,” Strylowski said of the wholesale model. “We decided in 2024 that we were going to build this tasting room.”

Once they solidified their business plan, the couple got to work on their new facility, which opened its doors a year ago. The response, thus far, has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s been great; people come here from all over the area,” Strylowski said. “We get a lot of people coming in and saying, ‘Wow, this place is beautiful.’ They couldn’t imagine that anything like this could be out in the country, out in Custer Park.”

While pouring a top-quality glass of wine is at the heart of Mistie Hill’s mission statement, so, too, is the service. Since opening their doors to the tasting room, Strylowski said he and Debbie have made it their goal to take any preconceived pretentiousness out of wine tasting.

“We do make anyone who walks through the door feel like they’re coming into their second home,” he said. “We like to treat people like family.”

While the couple freely shares their insight into the nearly two-decade-long journey of winemaking, they ultimately want to put consumers in the driver’s seat of their tasting experience.

“We like to hear from people about their preferences and what they like,” Strylowski said. “We have them tell us what they like, and then we gear our menu toward them. They really appreciate that, and usually they walk away with something that they enjoy.”

Strylowski said he and Debbie are heartened by the community’s response to Mistie Hill Vineyard, which has become a popular attraction within the otherwise quiet confines of Custer Park.

“We have a lot of repeat customers,” he said. “They come in, and they keep coming back. I think that’s a testament to how friendly we are with the customers, and how we make them feel welcome here.”

The Strylowskis have a number of goals ahead to make Mistie Hill an even bigger part of Custer Park – and beyond – with several specific initiatives in store as 2026 continues to unfold.

“We’ve begun booking private events,” Strylowski said, pointing to one example that has already taken hold. “We’ll have people coming to us, wanting to host baby showers, wedding showers, graduations and other special events. We’d like to expand on that a little more.”

Other plans, he indicated, include partnerships with local park districts for vineyard and winery tours, collaboration with the Will County Farm Bureau for agritourism events, and work with school districts that have agriculture programs within their curriculum.

“It was a lot of trial and error,” Strylowski said of Mistie Hill’s evolution. “It’s come a long way, and we’ve won several awards in competitions, which is gratifying as well.”

For more information, visit mistiehillvineyard.com.