1 day Ago By Tessa Langston
In Newark, a refreshing wave of urban rejuvenation is bringing new flavors and experiences to the city's downtown, as a slew of businesses have been granted substantial funds to infuse life into the local culture and economy. Among them, the new wine bar Consigliere is poised to become a beacon for diversity and quality entertainment in the heart of the city. Eater reports that Consigliere, located at 31 Warren Street, is the brainchild of Karl Fowlkes and Jarel Rosser, seasoned lawyers with a taste for wine who realized that the Newark scene lacked the type of establishment they craved - where hip-hop, house music, and wine converge.
With an investment of $87,500 from the Newark Retail Reactivation Initiative, Consigliere stands to elevate the local wine bar scene when it opens its doors on May 2. Just across the street from Rutgers Newark campus, young professionals and students alike can expect a space that not only offers an extensive wine list featuring African diaspora and New Jersey-based wineries, but also a venue that invites comfort and connection. Fowlkes, embracing his Jersey roots, conveyed to Eater, "Newark called me.
I’m a Jersey dude through and through. I knew this would be meaningful not just for us, but for the city."While Consigliere adds diversity with a swig of culture to Newark's downtown, it's just one piece of a larger puzzle.
The Newark Retail Reactivation Initiative has showered nearly $3.5 million on local businesses. As Patch reports, the program's mission resonates through various offerings, from comedy and art at Newark Culture Club to the southern comfort food at Delta's, presenting a future downtown Newark brimming with creative vibrancy.
And it's not just food and drinks getting a boost. The funding, aiming to boost retail, cultural and food experiences, is nurturing ideas like GlassRoots, which received $110,000—a nonprofit where youth and adults can engage with glass arts and unveil creative potentials. The second wave of funding even made room for Honeypot Montessori, envisioned to be a sanctuary where children can cultivate learning immersed in nature.
"The program aims to support businesses that are looking to bring more retail, cultural and food experiences to downtown," according to the statement obtained by Patch..
