Boystown's Gourmet Grape Transforming into New Bar, Twisted Vine

The days of The Gourmet Grape in Boystown are long gone as owners tore down the store’s awning Tuesday in preparation to open the new low-key specialty bar, The Twisted Vine.

Owner Jeff Durbin says the former fine wine and gift shop at 3530 N. Halsted St. is nearing its 10-year anniversary, and both he and his business partner Mike Banko think it’s time for a change.

“It’s always been a thought, but in the beginning of June, we moved forward with the idea,” Durbin said inside the practically empty storefront Tuesday afternoon. “My business partner—he’s always wanted it to be a bar, so I called him and said, ‘You might get your wish.’”

Plans to transform the space into what Durbin describes will be a “low-key space with quiet ambiance and light music” started in June, before owners of Paired Wine Co. announced they’d be opening a wine store a few blocks south.

"I kind of want it to be a surprise for everyone. I haven’t even told some of my good friends the specifics quite yet."

Durbin says The Gourmet Grape stayed open through its busiest season, Christmas, before treading water and organizing everything to time perfectly with their anniversary.

“With our 10-year anniversary coming up, we are timing everything to be done by May,” Durbin said. “May will be the soft opening, with a more grand opening planned for mid-May.”

But specific details surrounding the renovation of the 1,000-square-foot storefront into a 55-seat bar are being kept under wraps until the big reveal. While draft beers have already been kicked off the bar menu in lieu of craft beer, and the selection of alcohol is planned to be limited but high-end, Durbin is keeping some elements to himself.

“I kind of want it to be a surprise for everyone,” he laughed. “I haven’t even told some of my good friends the specifics quite yet. … I don’t want it to be a normal bar. I want it to be a nice place.”

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Durbin added that non-cooked foods like specialty cheeses will also be on the menu, and there will be a small retail area in the bar where people can buy some of the trays and dishes used to display the food. That’s combined with a few televisions that will only be used for special occasions like The Oscars or certain NCAA games.

Prices at The Twisted Vine are planned to be “all over the board,” with those looking to relax with an inexpensive wine right at home next to others who are interested in premium glasses. The same will go for alcohol like scotches and bourbons, while other things like vodka will be more limited.

“We’ll have something standard like Absolut, and then something higher end,” Durbin said. “If you want Grey Goose, too bad, I’ve got something better.”

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