While kneeling on the top level of his dream wine bar on High Street, Matt Green could see his vision taking shape.
Green recently left his job as a wine distributor to build Bar Vino in a former bank at 204 E. High St. in Jefferson City. Two weeks into the venture, Green could see the outline of his establishment taking shape.
Running through the main corridor of the narrow building sat the shell of the base for the bar. Farther toward the back, wooden frames marked the entrances to the kitchen and a window into a wine cellar in the old bank vault.
Upstairs, in a room that will become a private event space, Green looked out at the stall and dreamed of what it will look like when the bar opens in September.
"It's been a dream forever," he said.
Green got into the wine business about a decade ago after working several colorful jobs.
Early in his career he worked as an a electrical contractor. Another job took him around the country climbing water towers. Eventually, Green tired of being home in Jefferson City for only four days per month.
As he settled down here, the Jefferson City native slowly got indoctrinated in the wine business, in part because of a job he had at the Jefferson City Country Club. After six years, Green began working as a wine distributor and met his mentor - Abiy Hailu, former owner of Abiy's International Wine.
After Hailu retired in March and sold his store, Green said he saw a void in the Jefferson City market for fine wine. When Bar Vino opens, it won't be a cheerleader for Missouri wines. Instead, Green hopes to introduce patrons to wine from places like California, Italy, Spain, France, New Zealand and Australia.
"We're not going to be a Missouri wine-based business," he said, "although we will represent all the amazing wines here."
Green plans to complement chic wine offerings with a line of craft cocktails as well as craft beers from Columbia's Logboat Brewing Company and Kansas City's Boulevard Brewing Company.
For patrons wanting traditional North American lagers, Bar Vino will have those on tap.
"It would be certain death if you open a bar in Jeff City and not sell Budweiser or Bud Light," Green said.
The bar will not offer entrées but will have hors d'oeuvre-type foods, like shrimp cocktails, that complement the wine selection.
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