Wine Social is undergoing its grandest iteration after various changes and updates since opening at the start of the pandemic.

“It was the worst time in history to open a business with the word ‘social’ in it,” owner Marc Newman said.

The wine bar has moved one suite north in Richland’s 702 The Parkway, transforming the new space into a full-service restaurant rebranded as The Social.

Newman appears ready for the challenge after what it took to make his former business a success.

“People make a choice whenever they came down this hallway to a place that is limited,” he said. “We didn’t have windows to speak of, we didn’t have a food menu to speak of. We have our gratitude and our willingness to serve, and people are in such need of it,” he said.

Initially pivoting to a retail shop when state rules prevented indoor dining, Newman and his wife, Kaitilin, eventually opened a wine bar and worked to draw people in with music bingo, wine education classes, painting, karaoke and other experiences. A couple years in, they added spirits and food.

Restaurant-first mentality

Newman said he’s ready for this next step and has a restaurant-first mentality when filling the space where Moniker debuted, across the courtyard from Frost Me Sweet. Moniker closed in February after a four-year run.

“I simply want to be the best. I want to have the best cost-to-quality ratio and consistent cuisine that is globally inspired and regionally driven,” Newman said.

The move allows The Social to gain 800 square feet, plus 35 seats for outdoor dining.

The remodel brings a new look and feel with capacity for 80 indoors, but also maintains some of the style from its inaugural tenants, including a walnut wall and Gatsby-esque tile.

Newman added a host station near the door, backlit wood racks once used to crate fine champagne and a partial divider featuring stained glass panels to prevent diners from a natural urge to “rubberneck each time the door opens.”

The intentional touches often come with a story, including the stained glass.

“My father-in-law reframed them for me when my wife and I were dating, but we broke up, so he sent me a bill for $800,” laughed Newman. “I didn’t have 800 bucks, so I said, ‘Can we get back together?’ Now we’re living across the country with two kids.”

A back wall now closes off the previously open kitchen. There now will be exclusive access to a room parallel to George Washington Way to The Social’s wine club and for private events.

As an homage to the original Wine Social, the room has its own wet bar and private bartender.

Newman wants people to plan ahead for their experience and encourages reservations, hoping to mitigate the kind of disappointment customers can experience when trying out a hip, new option in town.

“It breaks my heart more than yours when there’s no seats,” he said.

Marc and Kaitlin Newman

Expansion plans

When the opportunity arose to take over a larger suite within the same Parkway building, Newman didn’t hesitate.

He said it would have been “too much” to operate out of both suites, and opted to move, negotiating for the previous restaurant’s furnishings in exchange for taking over the lease March 1.

His team has been hard at work ever since, targeting a mid-June opening. The building’s owner said the suite previously housed by Wine Social is available for a new tenant.

Meet the team

The new team has grown from seven employees to 24 and includes a former manager of nearby Foodies, Tony Angelo.

Newman also tapped into the expertise of Joanna Wilson, the previous Foodies owner, who has a new restaurant consulting business she launched with Angelo. The goal is to automate the steps of service.

“I know how to connect with people and manage an experience; I have an instinct on what’s working and not working for a guest, but I don’t know how to run a kitchen,” Newman said.

Speaking often of his passion to serve, Newman said, “It’s really about receiving a guest properly, and creating a confidence in them that they will throw me the keys and I can drive this experience,” he said. “We’ll create a mood you can enjoy and we will create a returnable experience.”

File photo of The Wine Social 

Chef Josh Krueger, formerly of The Bradley Cocktail Bar, will head up the kitchen, serving bar bites, entrees and desserts, which include “disco fries,” their version of poutine,  chicken parmesan and tableside bananas foster.

“We brought fire every night, but now the fire is going to be at your table,” Newman said, and promises an exciting cocktail bar. “Chefs have become popular and gotten a following and now bartenders are popular.”

An extensive list of non-alcoholic offerings will remain available at The Social.

Newman looks at the new restaurant as “increased offerings of the same spirit people embraced and deserve.”

The restart of the summer farmers market will bring earlier opening hours on Fridays during the season and The Social will eventually offer oysters and champagne, along with a brunch targeted for the fall.

Special events, including a yearly Christmas show, are still planned.

Newman believes there’s a clear distinction between service and hospitality, and he’s focused on the latter.

“It’s a gift for me to be a servant to you – to lighten your load, help you breathe easier. It’s a personal relationship and I take it as such. It’s an authenticity and a willingness that doesn’t happen anywhere else.”

Hours will be 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 10 a.m.- 10 p.m. (or later) Friday-Saturday; and closed Sundays and Mondays.

The Social: 702 The Parkway, Richland.