A new wine bar in Solihull is set to offer customers a taste of home, with its owners promising an atmosphere reminiscent of 'stepping into your nan's kitchen'. The Brownie Bakery & Wine Bar, located in Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre, is expected to open its doors at the end of May.
Family-Run Venture
The business is run by Rachael Vitins, 44, and her husband Dave Walker, 64, along with their children Annabelle and Alex. The family already operates The Brownie & Bake Company in the same shopping centre, where Rachael bakes and Dave serves customers. The new wine bar will expand their offerings, combining fresh food with a carefully selected range of drinks.
From 'Pub on Wheels' to Permanent Home
Rachael and Dave are no strangers to serving alcohol. Years ago, they purchased a mobile bar, which they describe as a 'pub on wheels', travelling across the country during festival seasons. This experience has now been channelled into their permanent venture.
Rachael explained how quickly the idea came together: "It went from taking a look at the unit to signing a contract in weeks. We were told by the shopping centre about the vacant unit and thought, why not put a wine bar in there?"
Community Response
The local community has shown overwhelming support. "Every single day, people are asking when we are opening and the response has been incredible," Rachael said. She emphasised the freshness of their offerings: "At Chelmsley Wood, we pride ourselves on being fresh with bread delivered from our bakery daily. We were told that no one else in the area is doing what we do, people love our Black Country-style bread."
Menu and Atmosphere
The wine bar will feature a menu that evokes nostalgia. "With us, it's like going back to your nan's and enjoying a cheese and onion cob or cottage loaf. There'll be fresh food in the wine bar too, we're looking at lasagne, pizza and toasties," Rachael added.
Drinks will include a selection of Birmingham-based ales, as well as popular beers and wines. "We're going through Birmingham-based ales to choose too and having a good time sampling from suppliers at the moment. We want to emphasise local drinks as well as your popular beers and wines," she said.
Opening Plans
While the opening date is imminent, Rachael is taking a flexible approach. "I'd love to say we've got everything pinpointed down, but if you plan too much, it becomes too rigid. We're just going with the flow, we want to see how it goes and everything will fall in place from there." She added, "We're hoping the keys will be handed to us this week and just waiting for everything to be ticked off."
