The Huguenot – Wine, Cheese & Charcuterie Bar is planning a summer 2026 opening at 1037 Hendricks Ave. in the former Reddi Arts building, according to a news release.
Owner Chad Munsey brings years of wine and restaurant experience into this new project. Chad Munsey is a longtime area restaurateur and was the co-owner of the former Grotto, a San Marco wine bar that opened in 2001.
Lauren Munsey is Chad’s wife and co-owner of The Huguenot. She has worked in art and design and decided she wanted to make a career change, Chad Munsey said. He said she will create an ambiance for casual wine drinkers as well as those who take their wine seriously.
“I have wanted to open another wine bar for years but I couldn’t find anyone to run it when I was not there,” Chad Munsey said.
“At The Grotto, a lot of the girls there didn’t have wine backgrounds. But they learned about wine and it made it that much more comfortable for somebody who wasn’t a wine aficionado. It will make it more comfortable for them.”
In addition to The Grotto, Chad Munsey was a partner in Bistro Aix in San Marco and Ovinte at the St. Johns Town Center and also served as manager of Biscottis in Avondale.
He has worked in the California wine industry, where he owned a boutique wine distributorship in 2011. Currently, he owns The Bearded Pig at 1808 Kings Ave. near San Marco. There are plans to open The Bearded Piglette at The Block Jax at 7520 Quarter Mile Drive off Gate Parkway and north of Ikea. The target opening date is mid- to late-April, Munsey said.
The Huguenot will cost about $500,000 to build-out and open, Munsey estimated.
Permitting should be completed by mid-March, he said.
On Feb. 18 the Downtown Investment Authority Board voted 9-0 to award Huguenot $75,140 as a forgivable 0% interest grant under the Core Retail Enhancement Program. It is structured to amortize at 33.33% annually over three years.
The DIA board votes constituted final action on the grants, for which no Jacksonville City Council action is needed.
Allen Stevens owns the building, and his company, Dav-Lin Interior Contractors, supervised the project. The Dav-Lin offices are also at 3017 Hendricks Ave. It was designed by Brad Rhodes of Rhodes Architects & Engineering, of Jacksonville.
The Huguenot will operate in 2,400 square feet of the building, Munsey said. Another three businesses are planned for the rest of the structure, according to DIA filings.
One is the proposed Tavola Trattoria, a 4,500-square-foot Italian restaurant operated by Carl and Lindie Garrett through Tavola San Marco LLC. The Garretts founded the Table Mesa Restaurant Group based in Bentonville, Arkansas. Tavola Trattoria received $135,000 in August 20 from the DIA under the same forgivable loan conditions as The Huguenot. Total construction costs are around $600,000.
The Huguenot will include a 1,200-square-foot bar and dining area and a 1,200-square-foot private dining and event space behind the bar with a separate entrance. There will also be patio seating. To start, the patio will remain uncovered, but Munsey said a roof is part of phase two construction plans. There will be around 50 seats both inside and outside. The private room will add another 30.
The wine bar will serve boutique wines from smaller vineyards from around the world. As the name implies, cheeses will be served as well as charcuterie boards. Small plates will also be on the menu, according to the release.
Wine by the glass will start at around $8 with bottles going as high as the $250 range.
The menu also includes craft beers, canned cocktails and a variety of nonalcoholic beverages.
The Huguenot will not have a large display of retail wine for sale. However, bottles will be available to purchase at a retail price with a corkage fee if consumed on premises.
“We want to create a place where guests can disconnect, enjoy exceptional wine and food, in an upscale, well-designed environment and truly connect with the people around them,” the Munseys said in the release.
The wine bar’s name has historic ties to Northeast Florida.
The bar’s name refers to the French Protestant Huguenots who established a settlement in Northeast Florida during the 16th century.
Tentative opening hours will be 3-9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 3-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.