Toney Wine Bar “The Eastern” Slated for Hine Project

It looks like the new  7th Street wine bar will be occupying a couple of thousand square feet on the right end of the papered over windows – marked by orange liquor license placards.  The Hine Project loading dock is on the right.  

Toney Wine Bar “The Eastern” Slated for Hine Project

by Larry Janezich

There are few details about plans for a new upscale wine bar on 7th Street, SE, in the Hine Project’s prime retail space.  What we do know is that the owners – reputed to be the group behind Barrel (the rustic whiskey lounge at 613 Pennsylvania Avenue) – have applied for a Class C Tavern license, and could open next summer.

The license application says the tavern will operate as a wine bar serving a limited food menu. Total occupancy will be 75, with seating for 55, and a sidewalk café with 30 seats.  Hours of operation and alcohol beverage sales, service and consumption inside premises and for sidewalk Café will be Sunday through Thursday 9:00am to 2:00am Friday and Friday and Saturday 9:00am to 3:00am, though times are often scaled back by the ANC via a settlement agreement.

Any entertainment endorsement – permitting live bands or DJs – must be applied for separately, but the current application does not anticipate that.

More information should be forthcoming when the application comes before ANC6B’s Alcohol Beverage Control Committee, likely February 7.  The protest petition deadline and requests to appear before the ABC board must be filed by the petition deadline, February 25.

The owners have engaged Andrew Kline’s Veritas Law firm which specializes in representing hospitality clients in matters before the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.  In the past, applicants have engaged the firm when they anticipate push back from nearby neighbors.