New Watertown wine bar to spotlight NYS wines

The Franklin Building

Can a wine bar spotlighting New York State wines survive as a business venture? That's what we'll find out when the first wine bar in Watertown opens later this year.

Kevin Hoover and April M. Walley are planning the Downtown Local Lounge in a storefront in the historic Franklin Building. It also will offer locally made cheeses, breads and oils in an atmosphere made cozy by the presence of loveseats, bistro tables and chairs, and a fireplace.

“It’s time to focus on our regional and New York wines,” Hoover told the Watertown Daily Times. “We really have some very good wines. The Finger Lakes has some world-class wines.” Hoover himself has been a successful amateur winemaker over the years, winning 17 medals in the Great New York State Fair Wine Competition.

The Franklin Building was constructed in 1920 by the YWCA, and once was known as The Franklin Arcade. The renovated structure now has five storefront spaces. The 1,140-square-foot wine bar space on the Franklin Street side of the building most recently housed the Legal Docs by Me business. The changeover is being helped along by a $22,500 startup loan from the Watertown Local Development Corp.’s Revolving Loan Fund. The partners plan to apply for a state wine and liquor license this month.

The Downtown Local Lounge won't be the only beverage purveyor in the neighborhood. Vigilante Yoga, a yoga studio and juice bar/cafe, soon will open in the nearby Lincoln Building on Public Square.

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