It’s all in the name: Cobble Social House, which recently opened in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis, combines community, cuisine, and retail in its multi-concept approach to a wine bar where nearly everything is for sale—yes, even the paintings on the walls and the stools you’re sitting on. After moving back to Minnesota after a stint working at a nightclub in New York, owner Joseph Clark knew he wanted to open some kind of entertaining space back in his hometown. “As I tried to decide what it would look like and brought in more people to work on the project, the idea kept evolving,” he explains.
His hospitality background, combined with some cool design elements courtesy of Infinite Group LTD and his sister Veronica’s love of retail (she owns D.NOLO, the women’s clothing store located right next door), ended up creating the intimate, 35-seat space. “We’re catering to a bit of an older, more mature audience, so it’s not crowded,” says Clark. “You won’t have people reaching over you at the bar or hovering behind your table. It’ll be a very comfortable and relaxing experience.”
Plus, the bar’s unique retail aspect of almost everything inside being for sale—the glassware, serving trays, tables, and more—adds to its atmosphere of exclusivity. “We want to act as a kind of showroom, so if people see something they like within the space, we can put them in touch with the designers to get something made-to-order,” says Clark. “Hopefully people will be able to walk away with a new experience, and maybe a more open mind as well!”
