Wine lover? The Raleigh Wine Shop is growing at renovated downtown location
The Raleigh Wine Shop is moving to a larger downtown space where it will expand services to include classes, co-working events, more private parties and a robust “by-the-glass” program featuring a full wine bar, artisanal cheeses and cut-to-order charcuterie.
The shop, which is celebrating its 10th year in operation, will move in spring from Glenwood South to a historic building in Moore Square at 317 South Bloodworth Street. The building previously housed Smith Temple Baptist Church and is undergoing renovations to accommodate RWS.
“We love where we are and being part of downtown, but being there for a while we saw parts of the business that were growing for us where we were a little bit landlocked in the space,” Seth Hoffman, one of the shop’s owners, told The News & Observer. “It wasn’t just about being a bigger store, it was being able to really delve deeper into these other avenues where we really could serve the community that’s around us a little bit better and more holistically.”
Bigger won’t mean lower-quality wine
RWS’ bottle selection will not see a dramatic expansion, Hoffman said, lest he betray the careful curation customers have come to love. The real boon of a bigger store will be that it facilitates a better in-shop drinking experience.
“We are by no means a warehouse and we’re very particular in what we select,” Hoffman said. “But just having a little more room will allow people to engage in all these parts of the shop without necessarily having to make choices.... When you go into some wine bars you have a choice whether you’re going to drink or shop. I want everything to kind of really be cohabitating.”
For the most dedicated wine connoisseurs, RWS will continue offering sommelier services, cellar management and valuation and educational wine classes, which earned the store a spot on Wine Enthusiast’s list of “America’s 50 Best Wine Retailers” in 2020.
“We are excited to have Raleigh Wine Shop join Empire on South Bloodworth Street in downtown Raleigh,” Andrew Stewart, president of Empire Properties, said in a press release. His company owns the space RWS will inhabit.
“We have been long-time customers and now we’re thrilled they’re a tenant,” Stewart said. “Their selection of wines and personal attention to customer service make The Raleigh Wine Shop an excellent addition to this thriving part of downtown, which has an ever-growing number of residents.”
For more details of The Raleigh Wine Shop’s new location, visit its dedicated website. RWS will remain open in its current location until the Bloodworth Street shop is complete.
