BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Fans of wine, art and fun times with friends will soon have a new destination to frequent in Northampton County.
Unwine Vineyards Wine Bar & Art Emporium, a venue offering wine, beer and cocktails along with local artisan goods such as paintings, candles and herbal remedies, is expected to open later this fall at 309 E. Third St. in south Bethlehem, co-owner Joel Ritter said.
The new venue, which has a target opening date of late October, will occupy a roughly 350-square-foot spot on the ground floor of Taylor Flats, a newly constructed, five-story apartment complex at East Third and Taylor streets, next to Southside 313 Bar & Grille.
Unwine Vineyards Wine Bar & Art Emporium, a venue offering wine, beer and cocktails along with local artisan goods such as paintings, candles and herbal remedies, is coming soon to 309 E. Third St. in south Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
“We’re in the home stretch!” Ritter told 69 News on Tuesday. “It’s all coming together quickly, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to our new space.”
The enterprise is a comeback of sorts as Ritter and his fiance, Mary Reshetar, previously operated their business’ original iteration – known as Unwine with Art – from 2019 to 2020 on North Second Street in downtown Easton.
Reshetar, a seasoned artist who enjoys working with paint, resins and other mediums, teamed up with Ritter to create a unique venue offering studio space for art instruction; a retail section for locally made works such as jewelry, pottery and paintings; and a wine bar serving Unwine Vineyards wines – made with grapes from Ritter’s 50-acre vineyard in the Finger Lakes region of central New York.
The pandemic led to the closure of Unwine’s original establishment, but Reshetar and Ritter have regrouped and are preparing to open their new venue soon.
Unwine Vineyards Wine Bar & Art Emporium is operated by Joel Ritter and Mary Reshetar.
Unwine Vineyards Wine Bar & Art Emporium
“Just like Easton, Bethlehem is a beautiful and vibrant city that provides a perfect setting to bring our vision to life,” Reshetar told 69 News.
Reshetar, who holds a bachelor’s degree in art education from Mansfield University, has held a variety of creative roles over the years, including working as a production artist for clothier Blue Fish in Frenchtown, N.J., teaching art classes at YMCA of Bucks County’s Quakertown branch and running an art gallery in the Mananyunk section of Philadelphia.
For the past several years, she’s also worked as a coordinator for Bucks County Community College’s In-School Youth Program, assisting high school students with paid work experiences, college and workforce readiness and the opportunity to earn industry-recognized credentials.
“I absolutely love my job, helping students in Bucks County get jobs and keep jobs,” Reshetar said. “Art is definitely my side passion, though, and I can’t wait to share my artwork with the community and bring people together over food, drinks and music.”
Ritter, who has been making wine for about 20 years, is a retired Bedminster Township Police Department officer who has been teaching law enforcement classes at Upper Bucks County Technical School for the past several years.
When he’s not in the classroom, he enjoys harvesting his vineyard’s grapes and creating a wide array of wines that include Cayuga, Niagara, Catawba, Marquette, Riesling, Frotenac and La Crescent.
Unwine Vineyards Wine Bar & Art Emporium
He also sources some grape varieties, including Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Grigio, from prominent winemaking regions in California and Washington.
His vineyard, outside Marathon and about 30 miles east of Ithaca, has about 8,000 vines.
Unwine’s forthcoming Bethlehem location will feature 7-9 wines that guests can enjoy on-site or purchase to-go, Ritter said.
Customers will be able to enjoy wine tastings and also order glasses and bottles. Locally brewed beer and cocktails made with locally produced spirits also will be available.
“I’m excited to bring the community together again over great wine,” Ritter said. “In Easton, some of our big hits were Cayuga, Catawba and a blush blend.”
Unwine’s forthcoming Bethlehem location will operate within a few blocks of dozens of restaurants, including Hi Pot, Playa Bowls, Sizzling Bites and The Nest Bar & Grille, and guests will be welcome to bring their own food to enjoy with their drinks, Ritter said.
Unwine Vineyards Wine Bar & Art Emporium, a venue offering wine, beer and cocktails along with local artisan goods such as paintings, candles and herbal remedies, is coming soon to 309 E. Third St. in south Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
“We’re fortunate that we will be surrounded by so many great restaurants and places to eat in south Bethlehem,” Reshetar added. “So, people could bring their own food or have it delivered.”
The new tasting room and art emporium will feature a few tables and counter seating for around 15 guests, and Ritter and Reshetar are also looking to offer some seasonal outdoor barrel tables on the sidewalk.
Guests will be able to shop Reshetar’s paintings, salves, herbal tea, natural soy candles and more.
“It’s not a huge space, but there are 14-foot-high ceilings, which doesn’t make it feel cramped,” Reshetar said of the Bethlehem space. “I’ll be able to hang my artwork up high, and I’d also like to showcase some other artists’ work as well. We’ll be hosting small paint-and-sip events and other art workshops, and I also study herbalism and would love to host workshops on salves and the health benefits of certain herbs.”
“We’re hoping to tie in the local community as much as possible,” Ritter added. “There’s a charter arts high school nearby, and we’d love to showcase some of the students’ work in our space.”
The forthcoming Bethlehem venue is the latest chapter in Unwine’s comeback story.
Unwine Vineyards Wine Bar & Art Emporium
Last year, the couple began pursuing plans to open an Unwine venue at 570 W. Cherry Road in Springfield Township. However, in June, the Springfield Township Zoning Hearing Board voted 2-1 to deny the application for a non-farm business use on the property.
Ritter and Reshetar’s disappointment following the board’s decision quickly took a back seat to their excitement for a new opportunity to bring the same concept to Bethlehem.
“We’re frustrated by the [Springfield Township Zoning Hearing] board’s rejection as well as comments from neighbors, who voiced their opposition to our project, because they really didn’t seem to understand our vision or business plan, which would’ve actually benefited the community a great deal,” Ritter said. “But their opposition turned out to be a blessing in disguise because Bethlehem suits our concept perfectly. The city, especially Bethlehem’s South Side, is full of life and new development.”
“We’re disappointed that we can’t bring our vision to life in Springfield Township, but we’re super excited to be switching gears and bringing our delicious wine, locally made products and fun vibes to Bethlehem,” Reshetar added. “The Bethlehem spot will have even more foot traffic and visibility on a major roadway, and we’ll have a bunch of great neighbors.”
For the latest Unwine updates, follow the business’ Facebook page.