Mekelburg’s Bringing Gourmet Groceries, A Craft Beer Bar & More To Grand Avenue

We noticed banners up at 293 Grand Avenue (between Greene Avenue and Clifton Place) last week for Mekelburg’s, a forthcoming food and craft beer purveyor. Over the weekend, we got in touch with neighbor Alicia Guevara–who owns the shop with her husband Daniel Mekelburg–about what locals have to look forward to.

Alicia, who’s been in the gourmet food industry for the past 13 years and lived in Clinton Hill for the past five, says the idea for Mekelburg’s came out of her and Daniel’s disappointment with the lack of options for quality groceries in their immediate vicinity. They plan to stock about 1,600 ft of the 3,000 sq ft space with quality cheeses, olive oil, nuts, chocolate, house roasted meats, and more, while the rear 1,400 ft will consist of a craft beer bar and eatery.

Patrons will be able to order handcrafted sandwiches (to stay or go) at the back, as well as beer from 12-16 taps (they haven’t quite decided yet) and growlers to go. However many tap lines they end up with, Alicia says there will definitely be one line devoted to cider for the gluten free crowd and another possibly devoted to kombucha.

What to expect from Mekelburg’s: Mmmmac ‘n’ cheese

Alicia says Mekelburg’s will offer table service and a tasting menu only during planned events with brewers, which they plan to host roughly twice a month. The rest of the time, patrons are welcome to stick around and enjoy WiFi and a pint in the shop’s indoor space or backyard, which seat 50 and 30 people respectively. As for the look of the place, while Alicia says functionality will take priority in the front area, she and Daniel have been considering design ideas for the back–including the possibility of a bar made of salvaged bowling alley flooring from a dealer in Kentucky.

Porchetta!

The space is still under construction, and though banners out front say Mekelburg’s is expected to open in the fall, Alicia says it could be fall or winter–so if you’re excited about Mekelurg’s, keep up with the latest via their mailing list (via their site), Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Food photos via Mekelburg’s