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Popular local haunt The Wine Seller in Monticello Marketplace is under new management. Following the retirement of the previous manager, Chyna Jones, who’s been an employee of the shop for seven years, has been named the new operations manager.
Since taking the helm in early January, she’s been working to expand The Wine Seller’s food offerings, starting with the hiring of chef Maggie Lawrence. The shop previously served small bites and now has a full menu offered Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The new menu features dishes inspired by the chef’s German background, including Reuben sliders and a bratwurst wrap, as well a variety of flatbreads.
The Wine Seller, a community staple for years, specializes in fine wine and craft beer, including microbrews. Free wine education events and tastings will continue to be held on Friday evenings starting at 4 p.m.
“I am a wine enthusiast,” Jones said. “I enjoy the craft and the passion behind the making of the wines. I believe wine is an experience, not just a taste.”
Jones also plans to ramp up special events at the business, starting with a hangover brunch featuring live music on Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The establishment is typically closed on Sundays.
Jones grew up in the restaurant industry in the Outer Banks before moving to Williamsburg 14 years ago. She worked at Colonial Heritage, Alewerks Brewing Co., Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Mellow Mushroom and elsewhere before joining the team at The Wine Seller. A level 2 cicerone (the beer equivalent of a sommelier) and working toward her level 3 certification as a sommelier, Jones is looking forward to adding her own spin as the new operations manager and getting more involved in the community.
“I feel like we have our own little Cheers here,” she said. “I find it very rewarding meeting new people, seeing people smile when I introduce them to a new wine, expanding their palates with a new style of beer and feeding them. It makes me happy seeing other people happy.”
The Wine Seller is open Tuesday and Wednesday noon to 6 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. For more information, visit grapesbythecrate.com.
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Teriyaki Madness opening in Lightfoot in March
A new Asian restaurant is headed to Lightfoot. Husband and wife Jason Doyle and Melissa Cheeks are the new franchise owners of Teriyaki Madness, which is scheduled to open March 1 at 6497 Centerville Road in the Lightfoot Marketplace shopping center next to the AT&T Store.
“We are a fast casual fresh Asian grill that is crazy delicious,” Cheeks said. “We specialize in bowls of teriyaki chicken with veggies and rice.”
Nine different teriyaki bowls are on the menu, along with a variety of sides and other dishes. Teriyaki Madness has locations in 37 states, including three others in Virginia — in Hampton, Midlothian and Virginia Beach.
“We talked about becoming business owners for some time, and we got serious about franchising at the beginning of 2023,” Cheeks said. “We looked at a lot of different companies, and when we came across Teriyaki Madness, we knew this was the one.”
The Williamsburg location is now hiring as it prepares for its opening. For more information, visit www.teriyakimadness.com/careers.
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Grit Coffee set to open in Midtown Row
Grit Coffee, a Charlottesville-based coffee shop, will open a location in Midtown Row later this month. It will be Grit’s ninth café in Virginia. The coffeehouse will open at 100 College Road, Suite 2111.
Grit will serve coffee, espresso, tea, breakfast sandwiches and pastries from local bakery Aromas daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“We love the energy that comes from serving students in Charlottesville and Richmond, and we look forward to becoming a hub for the William & Mary community as well as the rest of the greater Williamsburg area,” Brandon Wooten, chief brand officer for Grit Coffee, said in a news release.
Founded in 2008, the coffee shop has six locations in the Charlottesville area and two in Richmond. The coffee roasting company also brews and distributes cold brew under the Snowing in Space brand. For more information, visit gritcoffee.com.
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Construction of High Street Apartments now complete
On Jan. 13, Breeden Construction announced the completion of the High Street Apartments in Williamsburg. The company served as general contractor for the development, undertaken for Commonwealth Properties LLC. High Street features 32 apartments and six townhomes. Construction for phase three of the project began in December 2022. The development includes four stories of wood-framed apartments above a parking garage level.
“We take immense pride in delivering the High Street project for Commonwealth Properties,” Brian Revere, president of Breeden Construction, said in a release. “Our team’s meticulous attention to detail and unwavering dedication have resulted in a development that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of both our client and the community.”
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Dots and Dashes
• Collaborative Therapeutics has rebranded as Unwind Williamsburg. The business, which offers massage services, also moved to a new location inside Puresse Solutions Skin Care at 215 Ingram Road. For more information, visit unwindwilliamsburg.com.
• In honor of Career & Technical Education Month in February, New Horizons Career & Technical Education Center will host an open house at its Butler Farm Campus in Hampton and at its Woodside Lane Campus in Newport News on Feb. 7 from 4-7 p.m. Prospective students and their families, business partners and school personnel are invited to attend to learn more about the high school programs offered in construction, health science, advanced manufacturing, personal services, protective services, auto technology and information technology. For more information, visit nhrec.org/ctec.
Brandy Centolanza, bcentolanza@cox.net
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