Natalie Hekmat’s natural wine shop and bar Voodoo Vin is nearing its East Hollywood debut.
The City of Los Angeles’ Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) earlier this week issued approvals to Hekmat for the sale of Voodoo Vin’s wines for on-site consumption and retail takeaway, at 713 N Virgil Avenue, the restaurateur Friday told What Now Los Angeles in a telephone interview.
An opening is likely in February 2020 pending “final stage” items like ordering and stocking the wine, bringing in furnishings, and creating a menu.
Construction at the space has already wrapped.
It’s been a long time coming for Voodoo Vin, which was first announced in August 2018, and has been on paper with the City for nearly two years.
“Without wine, there is no shop, so getting approval from ABC was a huge milestone,” Hekmat, who has been working on the Voodoo Vin concept for more than four years, said.
Voodoo Vin while small in size—clocking in at less than 900 square feet—will offer seating at its bar for on-site consumption of small-production natural wines.
There will also be a retail section, or bottle shop area, for takeaway sales, and lite bites for which a menu is still being finalized.
“Voodoo Vin will be small like the wine bars you would find in Europe,” Hekmat said.
“We don’t plan on making a chain, just this one special spot with a lot of soul.”
Opening Voodoo Vin near Hekmat’s Los Feliz home in the lower hills has been a family endeavor with the support of husband Michael and five-year-old son Jude.
“It’s been a great thing for us to do as a family.”
