Wine bar prepares to open at Razzleberry's location
A new, fine dining cafe with wine, cheeses and meats is opening at the former Razzleberry's Ice Cream Lab and Kitchen location in Jackson Square.
Its future managers — Linda James, Joshua Brantley and Warren LaForest — spoke to the Beer Permit Board Jan. 5 and talked to The Oak Ridger about the 201 Cafe and Wine Bar after the meeting.
James explained in an email she hopes to open next week. Brantley plans to be head chef, while James will be the owner and LaForest the general manager.
James explained Razzleberry's owners — Waldek and Ilona Kaczocha — wanted to sell the old location. The couple will continue selling their signature ice cream and some other products two doors down from the cafe.
"I've always wanted to have a restaurant. The time was right in my life, and Razzleberry's was willing to sell," James said.
The new managers explained the restaurant plans to serve sandwiches for lunch, but switch to serving charcuterie and cheeses in the evening. Beverages will include wines, liquor and imported beers. Similar to Razzleberry's, the restaurant aims to run a store selling different types of meats, such as bratwursts and kielbasa. Brantley said these meats should be available both in the store and to take home. Meats and cheeses will be both local and international. The restaurant aims to host concerts on Saturdays. It will be able to hold between 50 to 60 people.
Currently, the new owners are working on renovating the space.
Razzleberry's speaks
Razzleberry's official Facebook page gave a statement, speaking positively of the new ownership.
"THIS IS NOT GOODBYE!! Waldek & Ilona will reopen Razzleberry's Ice Cream Lab just three doors down in April, and the food you love will be available again here at '201 Cafe & Wine Bar' ... Chef Josh has been working under Waldek for quite some time. He is very familiar with Waldek's European style, and he will introduce a little twist of his own! Heather & Aimee will be sticking with the new kitchen, and we can't wait to see you all again!" the official Facebook page stated.
Staffing and pandemic
The opening comes at a time when COVID-19 pandemic and labor shortage concerns still make headlines. However, the new managers spoke optimistically to The Oak Ridger.
James said the business is planning on keeping the two current servers and adding two others and possibly a bartender.
Regarding attracting that additional staff, Brantley said that people "gravitate" toward a type of restaurant that doesn't exist in Oak Ridge, adding that people interested in serving at a fine dining establishment have previously had to apply in Knoxville.
As for COVID-19, Brantley said opening a new restaurant at this time would "liven the community up a little bit."
Ben Pounds is a staff reporter for The Oak Ridger. Call him at (865) 441-2317, email him at bpounds@oakridger.com and follow him on Twitter @Bpoundsjournal.
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Wine bar prepares to open at Razzleberry's location
