A pair of veterans of Adega Wine Cellars in downtown Silver Spring will take over the space and open a similar café.
Jarrod Jabre and Justin Wallace, who between them have more than 30 years of experience in wine, beer, restaurants, retail and event management, will own and operate Locavino, a wine café and retail outlet.
The two said they plan to offer more than 200 wines, with an emphasis on value, focusing on wines from Maryland, well-known favorite labels as well as those from lesser-known regions, and varietals from around the world.
In addition, they will offer beers brewed in Maryland and neighboring states, as well as international labels, featuring those from family-owned producers.
The menu will include appetizers, cheese boards, sandwiches and wraps, salads, burgers, flatbreads, stews and soups, pastas and desserts, dominated by locally sourced ingredients.
Adega, located at 8519 Fenton St., opened in 2003 in the first section of the Downtown Silver Spring redevelopment and quickly became a neighborhood favorite. The café closed in February 2017.
The new owners will do some remodeling and updating of the space, but patrons can expect a familiar feel, Jabre said.
“We want them to have a sense of nostalgia, but also recognize that this is a new place,” he said, adding that Locavino will not be “Adega 2.0.”
The two hope to open sometime in the first quarter of 2019 and expect to hire 10-15 employees at first. Their workers, the two said, will be paid a living wage, above the county’s minimum wage.
“Every decision we make will be socially conscious,” Jabre said.
When he and Wallace were managing Adega, the café was recognized with a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. In addition, Jabre has also served as a judge for the Maryland Governor’s Cup wine competition.
Interested residents can sign up for updates on the Locavino website, and follow developments on Facebook (coming soon), Twitter or Instagram.