New owner plans to bring craft cocktails to popular downtown coffee shop

Allison Ballard, Wilmington StarNews
·2 min read
Bespoke Coffee & Dry Goods at 202 Princess St. in downtown Wilmington, N.C.
Bespoke Coffee & Dry Goods at 202 Princess St. in downtown Wilmington, N.C.

Even as Robby Dow was establishing the innovative bar program at Olivero restaurant in Wilmington last year, he was also thinking about opening his own place. When he connected with Chris Batten and Bespoke Coffee & Dry Goods at 202 Princess St. in downtown Wilmington, he knew he’d found the right spot.

He took over the business mid-March.

“It’s great,” Dow said. “I love that it’s downtown ... and I think this Princess Street intersection is really special.”

In the coming weeks and months, Bespoke will continue to operate as it has been with the same staff, Dow said. Eventually, there will be a short renovation period so he can update the bar space to include cocktail service.

“Big picture, that’s the plan,” he said.

During his four years in Brooklyn, Dow earned accolades as the bartender/beverage director for Grand Army Bar. More recently, he’s been working with Sunny Gerhart and Lauren Krall Ivey at Olivero, which opened in September at 522 S. Third St.

Robby Dow is the new owner of Bespoke Coffee & Dry Goods in downtown Wilmington, as of March 2024. He plans to add a craft cocktail program later this year.
Robby Dow is the new owner of Bespoke Coffee & Dry Goods in downtown Wilmington, as of March 2024. He plans to add a craft cocktail program later this year.

There, he created a program driven by sherry, vermouth and Italian amaro that uses modern techniques to update classic cocktails, Gerhart said.

“(It's) a great complement to the Spanish, Italian and New Orleans dishes Lauren and I are cooking and modernizing in the kitchen,” he said. “We’re fortunate to have a craft cocktail talent like Robby in Wilmington and are excited to see him expand on his own here in town.”

Dow isn’t ready to reveal too many details about what he has planned for Bespoke but said it would include some new things for the area.

“I would say my background in cocktails is about technique,” Dow said. “I’m always passionate about world class cocktails that are still approachable.”

Batten opened Bespoke in 2015 and was one of the first coffee shops to add beer and wine during evening hours. He also acquired the restaurant space next door, once home to Port City Cheesesteaks. (For a time, Savorez was serving breakfast burritos and more there.) Eventually, Dow will also extend the hours at Bespoke, and find the right food fit for the space, too.

“It would be great if there could be both a daytime presence and a dinner concept, too,” Dow said. “It’s also a great space for a pop-up.”

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Bespoke coffee shop's new owner to bring craft cocktails, restaurant