by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
As construction on Simon’s Wine Bar at 1004 Hendricks Ave. reaches its end, owners and husband and wife team Martin and Michelle Pett, grow anxious to show off what they refer to as a large extension of their living room. The project, a two-year undertaking from its original conception, has allowed them to “turn a passion into a career.”
“Michelle and I are both wine and jazz enthusiasts. That’s where our love lies,” said Martin. “We’ve kept that in mind the whole time through construction and we hope that shows.”
The Petts are hoping to capitalize on the restaurant and hotel business in Southbank area.
“Our location is going to be vital to our success,” said Martin.
Simon’s, whose name is inspired by a French bed and breakfast visited by the Petts, is still finalizing its wine list, but plans to feature anywhere from 500 to 600 labels. Between 60 to 70 will be available by the glass. Simon’s has access to a preservation system, allowing for more expensive bottles to be opened for longer periods of time.
“What we really want to stress,” said Martin, “is that you don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate what we’re doing here. We’ll be open for anyone who wants to enjoy a nice glass of wine of the correct temperature that it should be served; 53 degrees for a white and 64 degrees for a red.”
According to Martin, most of the restaurants in town with expansive wine lists are simply unable to deliver on that promise.
“One of the unique things about us,” said Martin, “is that we’re only going to be serving wine, not food. That’s our main focus. Because of that, we are able to pay attention to every detail and stay committed to the quality of the wine.”
Fresh fruits and cheeses will be served and a full service kitchen will be available for private wine parties.
Also looking to establish Simon’s as Jacksonville’s premier jazz spot, the Petts have purchased a baby grand piano, which serves as the focal point of the lounge area. Martin expressed that an open ended invitation will been extended to the jazz talent of the area.
Simon’s will be open from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and a staff of approximately seven, including Martin, Michelle and manager Rich Walker, will oversee the day-to-day operations. A mid- to late January grand opening has tentatively been set. Though the original opening date has been delayed somewhat, Martin asserts that his dedication to detail and quality are to blame more than anything else.
“We’ve really taken every step we can think of to create the wine bar of our dreams. We’ve left no stones unturned,” said Martin. “You may not know much about wine when you get here, but you when you leave, you definitely will.”