ADVERTISEMENT

    North Market Adds Bar with The Barrel & Bottle Expansion

    Buying beer and wine at the North Market has long been a staple grocery item, but you’ve never been allowed to drink it on site… until now. The owners of The Barrel & Bottle beer-and-wine boutique have just completed an expansion within the market, which includes a new seating area that allows for on-site consumption of beer, wine and cocktails.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “For us to remain relevant with all the competition that has come along in past few years, the ability for customers to be able to grab a glass of wine or a bottle of beer and have a meal with it is a huge benefit for us,” said North Market Executive Director Rick Harrison Wolfe. 

    The old Barrel & Bottle vendor space clocked in at a mere 450 square feet, while the new expansion brings the grand total up to 1,100 square feet (the expansion has taken over the former Holy Smoke BBQ stall, which has relocated to the opposite side of the building). Some of the existing products have been rearranged, a bar can be found on the north side of the space with eight rotating beer taps, and new wine machines allow for custom pours. Up to 22 people can be seated at a time within the space.

    barrel-and-bottle-01

    “We love collaboration at The North Market, so we love the fact that The Barrel & Bottle is collaborating with other vendors such as Curds & Whey and Omega Artisan Baking to be able to provide charcuterie plates and snacks to go with their drinks,” said Wolfe. “Of course, you can also grab your pho from Lan Viet or any other food items to eat them there. All North Market food is welcome at The Barrel & Bottle.”

    Customers who want to drink their bottled purchases on-site are required to pay a $1 corking fee for individual beers and a $9 corking fee for bottled wines. The project has been in the works for nearly a year, having originally been announced last October.

    “We were a little delayed getting into the space because of some of the logistics of hood relocations and there were a few additional delays on our end,” says The Barrel & Bottle co-owner Collin Castore. “So we’re only a month or two behind on our opening, which in terms of construction delays… that’s pretty much on time.”

    Eventual plans call for the addition of licensing that will allow for on-site consumption to be expanded to include the entire building, though it requires new state legislation to accommodate a building like the North Market, which is subdivided into 34 individual leases.

    “I’ve met with our state reps and they’re drafting what we’re calling ‘sip-and-stroll’ legislation,” says Wolfe. “This is very specific legislation for our building, but we have both Democrats and Republicans working on it, so we hope to get it through relatively quickly.”

    The Barrel & Bottle has already soft launched the beer and wine service this week and has plans on celebrating with an official grand opening sometime in the next week or two. The ongoing soft launch coincides with this weekend’s Ohio Craft Brew Fest at the North Market.

    For more information, visit www.northmarket.com.

    Photos by Walker Evans.

    barrel-and-bottle-07

    barrel-and-bottle-06

    barrel-and-bottle-03

    barrel-and-bottle-02

    barrel-and-bottle-04

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Subscribe

    More to Explore:

    A Guide to Clintonville’s Brewery Scene

    With three brewery taprooms in Clintonville, all opened within...

    The Confluence Cast: Grave Matters – Unearthing the North Graveyard

    There is often a complex interplay between preservation and progress. A year into his exploration, Columbus Underground reporter Jesse Bethea continues to sift through the story of how the removal of remains from what was once the North Market parking lot unfolded. From the contentious removal of centuries-old graves to the forensic analysis of unearthed remains, today’s episode navigates the ethical, legal, and emotional complexities surrounding the issue.  In the quest to honor the past while embracing the future, we examine what lies beneath the surface of urban development and confront the ghosts of history that still shape our city today.

    Craft Brews get a Techy Twist at Species X Beer Project

    Craft beer and artificial intelligence enthusiasts alike will find...

    Watershed Distillery Wants You! (To Choose)

    Noah Biddle is the type of person you just…want...
    Walker Evans
    Walker Evanshttps://columbusunderground.com
    Walker Evans is the co-founder of Columbus Underground, along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.
    ADVERTISEMENT