The long-vacant site of the Lussier Teen Center at 827 and 829 E. Washington Ave. will become a wine bar, a coffee shop, and a Southern-style restaurant featuring Southern fried chicken, ribs, and cornbread. John Reske of Fourcap Real Estate plans to buy the building for Robinia, his restaurant group.
The restaurant, named Julep, will be run by Sarah Kinser, who’s been shopping her concept around for four years. The wine bar will be run by Brian Haltinner, owner of Maduro, and the owners of Johnson Public House, Kyle and Gwen Johnson, will be in charge of the coffee shop. All three businesses will operate under one LLC. The project still needs to go before the Plan Commission, but Reske is hoping to finalize the building’s purchase in May and open the business in fall.
