Meet Casey Gayman, Owner of Ship Shape Bottle Shop
For Casey Gayman, owner of Shipshape Bottle Shop, wine is more than a beverage. It is a way to experience different cultures, connect with people, and discover some-thing new.
Casey grew up in Sequim and developed an early interest in languages, travel, and learning about other cultures. While in high school, he participated in a summer Rota-ry Exchange Program in Austria, an experience he found fascinating and that helped shape his interest in other cultures.
At 18, Casey left home to study international relations at Franklin College Switzerland in Lugano, Switzerland, then returned to the United States to
earn a Master s degree at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in
Monterey, California.
After graduate school, Casey was fortunate to be accepted into the Presi-dential Management Fellowship program through the U.S. Department of State. Casey spent five years living and working in Washington, D.C., where he met and married his husband, James.
In 2014, the Navy transferred James to Bremerton, and the couple pur-chased a home on Wycoff Avenue. They quickly fell in love with the area. However, when James was promoted after about a year and a half, there was no longer a billet available in the area, and the Navy sent the couple back to Washington, D.C.
Because Casey had resigned from the State Department when they moved, he took a position with Boeing and commuted across the water by ferry. For-tunately, Boeing offered him the flexibility to move his position back to D.C. with him. After returning to D.C., however, Casey had the opportunity to re-turn to his old position at the State Department. He ultimately spent around 12 years total at the State Department, working primarily on intelligence and counterterrorism policy issues.
Finding His Next Chapter
In late 2023, James retired from the Navy, and the couple decided it was time to leave their stressful D.C.
lives behind and return to Bremerton. They loved the area, and Casey still had family living nearby.
Once they returned, Casey took a “career break,” traveling and working on their home and yard while he
considered what he wanted to do next. He feels fortunate that he had the opportunity to pause and explore
his interests.
After about nine months, Casey decided it was time to return to work. He accepted a position with a state
agency in Olympia but quickly realized it wasn't the right fit and left after about six months.
Casey had long toyed with the idea of opening a wine shop, so in March 2025 he decided to gain some
hands-on experience by taking a part-time position at Preservation Natural Wines in Poulsbo.
"This was the best job!" Casey says.
Although Casey describes himself as an introvert by nature, he discovered that he genuinely enjoyed connecting
with people through wine. He also learned a tremendous amount about natural wines and began to
feel confident that he could someday open a shop of his own.
In the meantime, Casey was hired full-time by SAFE Boats International last summer as a contracts manager,
while continuing to work at the Poulsbo wine shop.
From Dream to Shipshape Bottle Shop
The opportunity came from a building Casey and James had purchased in the Charleston District.
When they bought the building in 2024, they loved the small space and its potential but weren't quite ready
to open a business of their own, so they leased the building to a tenant.
That tenant unexpectedly asked to break the lease early, however, and in early 2026 Casey found himself
facing a decision: lease the building to someone else again, or finally take the plunge and open his own business.
He decided it was time.
Casey’s original vision was to create a tiny wine bar, but current regulations would have required significant
and costly modifications to the building. Instead, he adapted his vision and Shipshape Bottle Shop was
born.
Today, Shipshape specializes in natural and low-intervention wines, along with beer and cider. The wines
Casey selects are made from sustainably sourced grapes using native yeast fermentation and minimal additives
or sulfites, offering customers an opportunity to explore wines from around the world that fall outside
the traditional wine shop or big box store experience.
Walk into Shipshape Bottle Shop and you are immediately welcomed by a cozy, inviting atmosphere and
shelves filled with carefully selected bottles. Casey is always happy to share the stories behind the wines
and help customers find something new to try.
Investing in the Charleston District
Casey and James chose to live in the Charleston District because they were drawn to its historic buildings
and character. Casey says he is excited to watch the neighborhood evolve and is even more excited to be
part of that change through his involvement with the Charleston Business District.
For Casey, this isn't simply a business investment—it's personal. He wants to see the neighborhood thrive.
One of his priorities is improving walkability throughout the district, with a greater focus on pedestrian safety.
He would also like to see a stronger connection between the Charleston District and Forest Ridge Park,
creating a more cohesive neighborhood experience.
Casey sees tremendous potential for thoughtful mixed-use development on Charleston’s empty lots, including
buildings that combine parking, storefronts, and residential apartments. He would also love to see
more of the district's storefronts filled with businesses.
And, with Smitty's departure, Casey now holds the key to wind Callow Avenue's historic clock. It’s a very
important connection to the neighborhood he has come to love, and Casey is honored to carry on the tradition
of winding the clock weekly.