For nearly three years, Vinifera Wine Bar and Bistro has operated in the hallowed spot on Auburn Way North that Flapper Alley occupied for many a moon.
Done a brisk business there, too, offering customers a wide variety of inspired cuisine and sommelier-selected wines, most of the latter made from grapes grown here in Washington state, locally-crafted beers and signature cocktails.
So busy has it been, said co-owner Brittiany Karlson, that she and her business partner, Jeremy MacArthur, decided last August to branch out a bit.
That is, decided to open a new, crosstown establishment at 2402 A St. SE, most recently the site of Bella’s Ristorante, and before that, Auburn Wine and Caviar.
But no carbon copy of Vinifera.
“It’s a totally different concept,” Karlson said last week. “This one is a pub. In fact, it will be called A Street Pub. Kinda of like what we have going here as far as a nice place to get food, but it’s definitely more blue collar. It’ll be for people who want to have drink after work, a little more casual then the place we have right now.”
Construction has been in full swing for months, that is, the gutting of the interior, and Karlson expects to open the pub’s doors next spring, at a date not yet specified.
It will have 10 to 12 taps, Karlon said, with a full bar offering up cocktails, good wine, and a full menu with burgers, nachos,and the like. That is, pub-style food.
Just the right spot for a pub, Karlson said of the locale.
“We actually worked at Auburn Wine and Caviar, so we are really familiar with the building itself and how customers approach that building and the target-clientele we want for that area,” Karlson said. “It’s clear that people do not want a restaurant in that place; they want somewhere to go have a drink, maybe get something to eat after work, Speaking only for ourselves, that location doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for a restaurant.
“We’re not sure if we’re going to have live music,” Karlson added, “but potentially in the future there’ll be comedians.There are already a lot of places downtown with music and we don’t want to compete with them too much. The emphasis will be on sports like football, horse races and basketball games.
Meantime, Vinifera will keep doing its thing.
“It’s been almost three years we’ve been here at Vinifera, wow,” Karlson said. “It’s crazy to think about that. We still have a really good customer base and a lot of loyal regulars and a lot of new people coming in all the time for Christmas parties and special events for people, and our live music and wine tastings and our seasonal menu.”
