MONGERS’ PROVISIONS ANNOUNCES OPENING OF THE RIND WINE BAR IN BERKLEY
The Wine bar and event space next to Mongers’ Provisions in Berkley is the latest endeavor for the culinary outfitters specializing in cut-to-order cheese, craft chocolate, charcuterie and specialty goods
DETROIT – Zach Berg and William Werner, founders of Mongers’ Provisions, today announced the upcoming opening of their expansion in Berkley. The expansion adds a full bar, and approximately 50 seats connected to their existing storefront on 12 Mile Rd in Downtown Berkley. The space will operate as seating for Mongers Lunch business during the day and in the evening will become “The Rind '' a neighborhood wine bar. This new endeavor will allow the brand to offer in-person experiences focused on wine, expanded lunch seating and offerings, and host larger events.
According to the owners: “Naturally, the space will evolve but the initial concept is to have a Mongers’ lunch place by day and The Rind, a neighborhood wine bar in the evening. The daytime space will be a place to have a casual lunch right in downtown Berkley, just a mile from Woodward. In the coming months, our lunch menu will expand beyond grilled cheese to include new sandwich offerings, salads, and rotating specials.”
“It feels incredible to make good on our very first customer request - being able to have a glass of wine with some cheese,” said Berg. “We pride ourselves on the services and experiences we are able to offer and look forward to bringing new ones to life.”
The Rind will feature an evening menu that is naturally anchored by cheese, charcuterie, and conservas, while also offering an assortment of small plates. The wine list will be focused on bottles that pair well with the menu via rotating and seasonal selections of domestic and imported wines. Plus, with over 100 retail bottles, patrons will be able to open any of them for a small corkage fee. The expanded location will allow patrons to bring their Grilled Cheese and sandwiches to The Rind for additional lunch seating. The new space occupies 1,200-square-feet with 50 seats, bringing Mongers’ total space to nearly 4000-square-feet.
“The Rind can be a beginning or an end. Like with a piece of Brie, you start at the rind and get to the center, or you might end with just the rind after working through a Clothbound Cheddar. The idea is that you can use this space as a bookend to your evening, or as a destination for a light dinner,” said Werner.
Mongers’ plans on holding public events in the space, like their signature How to Build a Cheeseboard class, and educational experiences diving deep into various regions to talk about cheese and wine or other beverages. Additionally, the space will be available for private events and can host up to 80 people.
The Rind is currently soft opening on Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm to 9 pm. The full opening and an expanded Mongers’ Provisions lunch menu is slated for late-August.
“We are so thankful to take this culinary journey with our customers even further. Just as Mongers’ has grown and evolved since 2017, we expect this space to evolve over time. We look forward to the new journey and are excited to raise a glass with everyone,” Berg and Werner
About Mongers’ Provisions:
Founded in 2017 by Zach Berg and Will Werner, Mongers’ Provisions originally began as pop-ups before transitioning to a location in Ferndale, Michigan. The duo launched their flagship store in November 2018 in Midtown Detroit at 4240 Cass Avenue and opened the Berkley, Michigan location in November 2021. This business came to be out of a life-long love of good eating and countless discussions about how to translate that love into a business.
About Zach Berg, co-owner and Head Cheesemonger:
Prior to opening Mongers' Provisions, Zach managed the cheese department at Bi-Rite Market in San Francisco. He placed 2nd at the 2014 Winter Cheesemonger Invitational. He began his food career working in kosher catering at the age of 13 and eventually moved on to restaurants and Zingerman’s Deli before attending culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. Zach is a graduate of Michigan State University with a B.A. in Hospitality Business. Zach is also a graduate of the Techtown Detroit, Retail Boot Camp program. Zach loves cheese and he wants to share that love with you!
About Will Werner, co-owner and Chief Chocolate Officer:
Will loves sharing experiences built around food with others. After seven years working as a geologist, he decided to take a plunge and get into the food industry. He moved back to Michigan and took a job managing Gayle's Chocolates in Royal Oak. During this time he became fascinated by the "bean-to-bar" chocolate movement. Will has visited chocolate manufacturers from Utah to Vietnam and loves the interaction between the farmers, the land (terroir) and the chocolate makers. When he and Zach decided to open Mongers’ Provisions, they knew they wanted to make craft chocolate a focal point of the business. Will is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Earth Sciences. He is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.
CONTACT: media@mongersprovisions.com
