BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — The owners of a local wine shop and craft beer bar are branching out their brand with a new cocktail lounge in Bed-Stuy.
Bed-Vyne Cocktail, set to open in the coming months, will feature Asian-inspired décor and a century-old antique samurai centerpiece, according to owners.
The four heads of Bed-Vyne Wine and Bed-Vyne Brew on Tompkins Avenue will set up shop at 305 Halsey St. with the help of an additional partner, said owner Rotimi Akinnuoye.
“We opened Bed-Vyne Brew in 2013 after the wine shop because people in the neighborhood said they wanted a place to hang out,” Akinnuoye added. “Then they said they wanted mixed drinks, and when people tell you want they want, you have to listen.”
Bed-Vyne Cocktail will serve up “specialized” craft mixes with house-made juices and syrups, as well as limited offerings of wine and beer.
Though a beverage and food menu is not yet set, the business plans on working with local chefs and restaurants to offer a variety of snacks, Akinnuoye said.
Plans are in the works to reach out to Royal Rib House next door and recently opened spots including Khemistry Bar and Eugene & Co.
The lounge was originally scheduled to open on Feb. 28, but construction delays pushed back the grand reveal.
The motif for the latest Bed-Vyne location will be a far cry from Brew or Wine, according to owners.
Designer Michael Whiteshoes said he was inspired by Chinese and Japanese art deco and automatically "fell in love" with the 5-foot-tall samurai armor, which will hang above the 300-year-old oak wood bar.
Patrons will find shoji screen doors with opalescent glass and a Japanese toilet-sink combo in the bar’s restroom. A backyard is set to open in the spring.
“When we opened a business in Bedford-Stuyvesant — and now all three are here — we wanted people to feel like it can be in TriBeCa or it can be in Soho,” Akinnuoye said.
“We want people to say, ‘This is in my neighborhood and people took the time to design and build here.’ It’s gonna be like nothing you have seen in Brooklyn and we really care about bringing the best.”
Proceeds from Bed-Vyne Cocktail’s opening party will be donated to the Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA. Check out Bed-Vyne Brew’s page for details.
