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New Business Combines Fine Wines and Dining

Some see the glass as half empty, some see it as half full.

Partners Rich Scherch and Dan Clark count themselves among the half-full camp. They opened a wine store and bistro on S.R. 54 a bit west of Little Road.

In fact, the design of the logo for Brix 33 displays a half-full wine glass as part of the “i” in the name of the new business.

The partners did a “soft” opening in early September for their Brix 33 Fine Wines and Bistro at 8351 S.R. 54, in the Broedell Plaza, several blocks west of Little. A grand opening will come this fall.

“Brix” is the measure of sugar content in wine and other liquid solutions, Clark explained.

He and Scherch opened Brix 33 because of “passion and love,” Clark remarked.

“Or we’re crazy, one of the other,” he added with a chuckle.

Discerning customers might recognize Clark’s name from the years he operated another Trinity-area business, the Wine Loft. The business developed a clientele list of about 2,800 people and held many charity fundraisers.

The Wine Loft closed in 2011. Since he has 25 years wine experience, Clark has been looking for a new venture ever since. But he was looking for a new wrinkle.

Along came Scherch, and the two men hit upon the concept to combine fine wines and fine dining under one roof.

“(We are) offering the consumer a one-stop shop for fine wines and fine food,” Scherch explained.

A wine bar offers up to 50 wines as well as some craft beers. A full restaurant specializes in dishes using the freshest ingredients.

Dinner typically could cost from the low teens to $27, Clark said, so people can splurge a little without breaking the bank. Blackboard menu specials will offer daily deals.

A wine store is integrated into the restaurant and bar. “This allows our guests to peruse not only the menu wine list, but also our retail wine offerings, any of which can be purchased to drink with their meal,” Scherch wrote in an email.

Schrech added, “We have a private event room that we will be using for cooking classes with our chef, wine tastings and, of course, booking to businesses for events that they would like to hold.”.

Mark Malowski is the Brix 33 exeutive chef.

Clark, in an interview, said the restaurant will change the menu quarterly for seasonal dishes ”just to keep it interesting”.

“We don’t fry anything,” Clark emphasized.

Brix 33 will stock up to 500 wines, Clark said. A selection of 50 of those wines will be available by the glass, he elaborated, in case a customer wants to have a special drink with dinner.

The store offers a wine station as well, Clark noted. The dispenser will let a customer buy a few ounces to sample an expensive wine.

A low-key tone will permeate Brix 33, Clark said. The only television set in the entire place will be in the private-party room.

Clark also aims to set up charity fundraisers at Brix 33 to continue a Wine Loft tradition.

For hours and other information call (727) 835-7912 or go online to www.brix33.com.