Coming next month to 425 I Street NW is a brand-new wine and spirits store from one of Washington’s longtime fixtures on the liquor-store scene.
Located in the same complex as
Alba Osteria, which opened in December, Eye Street Cellars will aim to gather input about what to carry from its new patrons, according to owner Savita Malhotra.
“We are always looking for [a place] where we can be part of an emerging community,” says Malhotra. The forthcoming store’s Mount Vernon Triangle location reminds her of how the area around Harry’s Reserve – the liquor store she opened at 909 New Jersey Ave. SE – looked when she opened there three years ago, she says.
Roughly 3,000 square feet in size, Eye Street Cellars, now under construction, will feature wines, spirits and beer from around the world.
From day one, Malhotra says she wants to hear what her customers want her to stock, from a certain Malbec to a specific brand of IPA to ready-to-eat foods (she’s currently planning to offer artisanal cheeses, pastas and desserts).
Moreover, she is considering offering tastings and classes on how to pair wine with meals – but again, according to customer demand. “Many of our customers just want to taste, taste, taste,” rather than commit to a whole class, she says with a laugh.
“We’ll ask our customers what they want us to put in these coolers,” Malhotra says. “We’re not just a liquor store; we are community-oriented, and we listen to the needs and desires of our community.”
Now in her 28
th year in business, Malhotra also owns Capitol Hill Wine & Spirits, at 323 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.