Today, 33 Wine Shop & Bar (1913 Park) in Lafayette Square, is still going strong despite the challenges of the pandemic. During the past several years, owner James Smallwood (pictured at right) remained cautiously optimistic and took the downtime to make a number of improvements to the shop. Here are five ways that 33 Wine Shop adapted and continues to evolve—and what’s ahead.
1. Revamping the space. With the help of his partner, Jessica Spitzer, who now works full-time at the bar, he invested in two high-volume medical-grade air purifiers, built out a bar kitchen from an old storage space, opened up a second room off the bar and added a fireplace, renovated the bathrooms, gave the inviting space a fresh coat of paint, installed an art-hanging system on the walls, and transformed the back patio into a lush oasis. The couple also bought a professional photobooth from Schiller’s.
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2. Going online and offering carryout. Spitzer moved the entire inventory—some 600 selections—online so customers could order for carryout. While the space is newish and improved, the philosophy there remains the same: “Create a great wine experience for people through temperature control of wines from receipt to glass.”
3. Minding the details. Toward that end, every bottle of wine that comes into the shop is immediately put into a temperature-controlled cellar or cooler. With one walk-in cellar downstairs and one upstairs, and EuroCaves and Pod Bars dedicated to the by-the-glass program (the latter allows for upright storage of open bottles), no bottle is left behind here.
Smallwood shared that many customers say to him: “I don’t know what it is, but wines just taste better here.” He thinks it’s in part because of their dedication to controlling temperatures: whites at 48 degrees and reds at 58 degrees. That’s right: your reds should be chilled too. If one can’t invest in a wine fridge at home, Smallwood said the old “30-minute rule” he learned from the guys at The Wine Merchant over 25 years ago should work: whites come out of the fridge for 30 minutes and reds go in for the same amount of time prior to serving.
4. Making it an experience, with an emphasis on service. In addition to a wine that’s at ideal temperature, you’ll also find plenty of camaraderie at the bar . . . and an education. A certified sommelier, Smallwood tastes every wine he brings into the shop making sure it’s “worthy” either for retail or for the popular monthly wine club. Spitzer said of her partner: “I admire James’ integrity so much. There are no filler wines here in the cellars. He wouldn’t pick anything he wouldn’t drink himself.” Always humble, Smallwood praises his distributors for helping him “curate a list that retail chains literally can’t have.”
If you’re thinking that means lots of wines with high price tags, think again. Smallwood strives to offer a wide selection of wines according to varietals, regions, and price points. While there are plenty of “collectibles,” there are also currently 86 bottles under $20. The wine-by-the-glass program and the Tuesday night free tastings offer the perfect opportunity for people to try wines without the commitment.
Smallwood considers himself to be the customers’ “personal shopper”—a personal shopper who clearly loves to share knowledge. Although his background was in economics prior to buying the bar in 2013 from Jeff Stettner, who had bought the bar from Jake Hafner, Smallwood sounds more like a history professor when he begins talking about wines: “Wine is a beautiful part of human history, of culture, of food and dining. I want to promote that.”
5. Building a community. That kind of passion has helped the business collect a number of likeminded regulars. One regular, for example, who is a Master Gardner, helped design and plant the stunning garden on the patio, and the daughter of other regulars makes the chalkboard displays for the shop. “We have the best customers in the entire city,” Smallwood said, adding that the “people component of this business is really special.”
Many may remember the wildly popular Dorm Room Dinners once held at 33: chefs from area restaurants cooked in a make-shift, dorm-like kitchen on site with wine pairings from the shop. Due to the ongoing staffing shortages afflicting the restaurant industry, Smallwood said that they probably won’t be able to offer the dinners anytime soon. The renovated prep kitchen on site, however, will better accommodate such endeavors in the future, he said. For now, the food program is designed to “give people an elegant snack to go with their wine,” with an emphasis on local vendors when possible. Charcuterie from Volpi and Salume Beddu is on hand along with cheeses and fresh bread from Union Loafers, and olive oils are sourced from An Olive Ovation.
Looking Ahead
Smallwood has more plans for the business, including building out a space in the basement for a bottle shop, redoing the back bar to better showcase the whiskey display and stemware, and investing in more Pod Bars to grow the by-the-glass program. Food trucks may return to the back pad behind the patio, and events like the New Year’s Eve Bubbly Bash will remain staples moving forward. Wine classes on Sundays are also in the works, and both Smallwood and Spitzer are studying for the sommelier certification—she for the certified exam and he for the advanced.
Remembering the Mission
Behind the bar hangs a chalkboard that was part of the decorations for a wedding held on site over six years ago. A quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald reads: “I love her and that’s the beginningand end of everything.” While the quote refers to Zelda, Fitzgerald’s wife, in the context of 33, it could just as easily apply to wine or to the shop itself, which has been lovingly passed on from one devoted owner to the next and has been beloved by the wine community for the last 20 years, managing to come out of the pandemic even stronger. As Smallwood said, “Life’s too short to drink wine you don’t love.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated from an earlier version.
