Natural Wine Bar LoLo Opens In East Austin

AUSTIN, TX — LoLo Natural Wine Bar & Bottle Shop was scheduled for its grand opening on Friday, bringing a new wine-focused concept to East Austin, officials announced.

Couple Christian Moses and Adam Wills have partnered with Charles Ferraro and Matt Bowman to bring LoLo to the iconic East Austin scene. The natural wine bar and bottle shop was slated to open on Friday, Feb. 7, at 1504 E. 6th Street next to Austin staples Hotel Vegas and Volstead Lounge, which co-partners Moses and Ferraro also own and operate.

LoLo will be open seven days a week from noon to late and will offer a large, rotating selection of exclusively natural wine for on-site enjoyment and bottles for purchase to go. A selection of small snacks will serve to complement the variety of LoLo wine offerings, and on the outdoor patio, a menu of Texas beers and inspired spritzes will also be available.

The partners behind LoLo contribute their combined experience to create this inclusive space for natural wine lovers, officials said. Moses and Ferraro co-founded and have co-owned and operated Hotel Vegas and Volstead since its inception in 2010 and Moses previously did the same with Manhattan Inn, a cult-favorite spot in Brooklyn, until late 2016.

With a passion for both natural wine and traveling, Moses and Wills’ inspiration for LoLo draws from hot spots and hidden gems they’ve visited around the world, according to a press advisory. The two have long envisioned bringing this all-natural wine bar and bottle shop to Austin for years, officials noted, and the timing was finally right.

As for the rest of the team, incorporating Ferraro as a partner was a natural extension of an already formed relationship from Hotel Vegas and Volstead. Bowman, who received his start at Uchi Restaurant Group and later gained experience at local mainstay Bufalina, joins the team as partner and bar manager.

“LoLo is our chance to bring something needed and novel to Austin, Texas,” LoLo Co-Founder Christian Moses said in a prepared statement. “There’s no doubt that we’ve got amazingly cheap frozen margs, a thriving cocktail scene, and craft beers aplenty. When it comes to wine, well, we feel there’s room in Austin for a place that serves the kind of wine we like to drink in a setting where all will feel comfortable to enjoy it. We want to create a place where we don’t feel pressured to leave for the next party waiting to sit. We want a place where the vibe feels as rough as it is refined. We want a place with a copious but curated collection of wines to buy and take home. So we decided to create this place and share it with the people in our city.”

The building LoLo occupies dates back to 1939, and the partners have brought to this historical spot a balance of lighting, texture, and materials to create a welcoming yet private ambiance. Keeping the architecture and structural design of the building intact, the partners worked together with carpenters from Mule Studio to make their vision for the space come to life. During the daytime, the inside space is lit up beautifully, flooded with natural light and bright, energizing bulbs at the bar. Transitioning into the evening hours, the lights dim and set the mood for gathering in a lively yet laid back environment. Music will further enhance the welcoming, ambient elements within LoLo from the early hours to late at night.

The space inside LoLo includes a full bar where guests can sit and converse with the bartender about the natural wine selection. An oversized table made for lounging further adds to the communal atmosphere. The service bar inside will be complemented with hundreds of bottles available for purchase. This on-premise accessibility to both enjoy a splash of natural wine and purchase it sets LoLo Wine apart from any wine concept in Austin. Additionally, the 3,000-square-foot outdoor patio gives guests a chance to grow their group in a more open space and order additional selections of Texas beers and signature spritz options at the second bar opening later this spring.

The menu and inventory will boast a variety of revolving natural wines carefully chosen from boutique producers. Strictly working with independent farmers, importers, and distributors, the fully natural wine selection at LoLo will offer a wide, curated collection from Texas to Burgenland and in between. Made in vineyards where growers work as sustainably as possible and farm organically with the cycles of the earth, the natural wines at LoLo are unique with nothing added to the wine and nothing taken away. Providing guests the option to either revel in these specialty wines onsite or purchase for enjoying at home, LoLo will quickly become the central natural wine hub for Austinites and visitors alike to gather and share their love of quality wine.

For more information on LoLo offerings, updates, events and more, visit lolo.wine and follow along on social media at @lolo_wine.

ABOUT LOLO WINE

LoLo Wine opened February 2020 by partners Christian Moses, Adam Wills, Charles Ferraro, and Matt Bowman as a natural wine bar and bottle shop located at 1504 E. 6th Street in Austin, Texas. Open noon to late seven days a week, the wine-focused concept offers the Eastside neighborhood hundreds of natural wines to choose from to sip onsite or for retail purchase to enjoy at home, along with small bites and snacks. Texas beers and inspired spritzes are also available at the second bar opening later this spring on the 3,000-square-foot outdoor patio. Carefully curated natural wines are at the forefront of LoLo offerings, with a rich selection purchased from independent, boutique farmers, distributors, and importers.

For more information and updates on LoLo, please visit lolo.wine and follow LoLo on social media at @lolo_wine.