A new wine bar in The Kent is getting ready to welcome guests with a great glass of vino and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Over Keel will be opening in the Snuff District event center next month, reports Daily Memphian.
The cozy 61 Keel Avenue oasis is located inside the Kent but will have its own entrance and be open to the general public as well as guests. The Kent’s director of operations, Toni Williams, generously explains to What Now Memphis how a vacant construction office turned into what promises to be one of the area’s next great wine bars.
“We had a space at the Kent with a separate entrance” she says. “It was actually a construction office. When construction moved out, we wanted to do something with it.”
Over Keel developed as a result of both Williams’s own appreciation for wine and a void in the surrounding area. “I like wine, so it became a wine bar.” explains Williams, adding “The space was there, there’s not anything like that in our neighborhood…we’re close to the medical center, lots of grad school students, it’s just a great area to open something like this.”
Over Keel will have about 20 wines available, though Williams states that the offerings may change to meet customer demand. One need not be a vino enthusiast to enjoy a drink at Over Keel; the bar will also be offering a selection of local beers.
Though the concept will not be a full restaurant, guests won’t leave hungry. Over Keel will offer a light but delicious menu that Williams describes saying: “We’re going to do charcuterie boards, fruit and cheese boards, a little butter board…a Mediterranean trio dip. It’s going to be a selection of small bites.”
Around 63 customers will be able to enjoy their drinks relaxing on Over Keel’s mix of comfy bar stools, tables, couches, and chairs. Though hours are subject to change, the bar will initially be open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 4pm to 9 pm and from 12 pm to 8 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Over Keel is currently awaiting its liquor license and Williams and her team are hoping to be open by mid-May.
Over Keel promises to be much more than a wine bar; the establishment will be a respite from the outside world. Williams sums up her hopes for the concept and what it will bring to community, saying: “We want it to be cozy. It’s a very moody interior-leather sofas and very homey. We want people to leave feeling like they’ve got a big hug.”
