Soon, Windsor Terrace will have a little more Beaujolais and a little less boxed wine.
In mid-October, the much-loved wine shop Windsor Wines will triple its space — and raise its visibility immeasurably — by relocating around the corner to a new outpost on Prospect Park West.
The new 900-square-foot store will allow proprietor John Lenartz (pictured) to do what he’s always wanted: stock a broader, more affordable selection of fine wines, start a membership club for frequent shoppers, and host classes and wine tastings in a backyard garden.
“[We want] to have a better representation for your everyday wine drinker as well as your connoisseur to be able to find some gems,” Lenartz said.
The new store will sell more wines from France and Italy, of course, but also bottles from South America, South Africa and Australia, he added.
Lenartz opened the current Windsor Wines in February, but as luck would have it, soon discovered the larger space. Lenartz seized the opportunity, paid rents on both spaces, and embarked on a massive renovation to former 1950s-era soda shop, Wetters.
Lenartz has uncovered the building’s original tile flooring and stained glass windows that read, “Soda, Candy, Ice cream,” and during reconstruction work, old Windsor Terrace residents regaled Lenartz with stories of first kisses at the long-gone diner.
“[Those stories] just cemented our plans to try to keep the flavor of the building,” Lenartz said. “We tried to maintain the integrity by keeping the sign, tile floors, and tin ceiling, and beautifying it.”
Windsor Wines [216 Prospect Park W., at 16th Street in Windsor Terrace, (718) 768-2291].
