Queen Anne resident Chad Campbell and business partner Brian Folino wanted to create the next great neighborhood bar and café. Their mission: food and drink at a low price, in light of the current economic crunch.
Just blocks away from the Woodland Park Zoo, in the Red Wine Bar and Café where Campbell and Folino will offer inexpensive wine and beer by the glass, along with a lunch menu and coffee options. The space seats about 50 and is fitted with fireplaces, antique furniture and glassware.
In the Red, the name itself a triple entendre for the economic times, the building's exterior color and wine, is to be a place for people to come hang out and relax without breaking the bank, according to its owners.
"We're not making any money with the red wine in the red building," said Folino.
"In the Red, that's what we're going to be," Campbell added.
Campbell and Folino's vision is a place where customers won't get beat up by prices. The plan is to offer $5 glasses of quality wine as well as $3.50 beers, along with $5 lunch plates with lots of vegan-friendly options.
While the current economy may not offer the best conditions for opening a new business, Campbell and Folino were able to get In the Red off the ground through enterprise and surviving on little to no budget.
After being laid off from his job in telecommunications last July, Campbell decided to take his career into a new direction. Having tossed around the idea of buying an existing bar, Campbell and Folino, who have known each other for years, decided to open their own. Folino has been in the Seattle restaurant industry for years, having worked downtown at the Brooklyn and Volterra in Ballard.
Many places offer deals during happy hour, for instance, but Campbell and Folino envisioned a place where those prices were a reality all the time.
While In the Red may seem geared toward the 21 and over crowd, it is meant to have a family-friendly atmosphere. The actual bar portion of the café is only a fraction of the space. There are plans to have a private dining area in the back once the business is up and running.
Folino and Campbell will be the main driving force behind the bar. Folino will act as barista in the morning, serving coffee for people on their way to work and class. Campbell will be serving the wine at night, as well as handling the lunch rush.
According to Campbell and Folino, the biggest challenges they've faced so far have been acquiring the proper permits and keeping to their strict budget. The easiest part, on the other hand, has been the buzz surrounding the opening of the bar.
"We've been getting some exposure that we didn't anticipate," Campbell said.
"We haven't really promoted it yet," Folino added. "So far there is generally a bit of a buzz that we haven't had anything to do with and that's exciting. Just the mention of our concept has brought out a response that 'the public has needed something like this.'"
In the Red Wine Bar and Café is located at 6510 Phinney Ave. N. and it set to open in mid to late March.[[In-content Ad]]
