Selune wine bar restores landmark building in Bed-Stuy
Now the restaurant with its exposed brick, vintage ceilings and wood and natural material decor is open.
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From a tenement home, to a bakery, a liquor store and several more businesses, 478 Halsey St. has had many lives before the owners of Selune moved in the property.
Not all of them were good stewards of the landmarks space.
Before they were able to open up, the entire front façade had to be rebuilt to meet NYC Landmark specifications, bringing back the large open windows of the space and even changing the location of the entrance.
Co-owner Abilene Gaga says everything from the materials of the glass, the metal and wood, to the design had to be cleared by NYC Landmarks before they could move forward.
Now the restaurant with its exposed brick, vintage ceilings and wood and natural material decor is open, serving up shared plates and natural wine, something they was a good match for their chosen location.
"There is always a story behind the wine we choose, behind the producer we work with, behind the farmer we pick the cheeses from- and for us the building is the same way we didn't want to work in the white box,” Lioussanne said.
But they are still finding a way to make their mark on the landmark, with the walls decorated with traditional Ethiopian artwork focusing on shared meals that carries over into the menu, in theme if not cuisine.
“It was important to me to have a little bit of my culture, represented. Everyone usually has one big plate and people it from it, it's communal,” Gaga said.
They say as the only oyster and wine bars in the area, they hope to bring in customers to appreciate the history, design and their culinary efforts.
"It's a beautiful space and we are honored to add our story to the many that have been in this space, serving our community," Gaga said.
