Liquor store owner planning College Hill bar with cocktails, beer, a second-story patio
When Dave Binter hangs out in Wichita, he’s always on the lookout for things he likes.
His phone is full of pictures of Central Standard Brewing’s retractable garage doors and retro furniture, of Nortons Brewing Company’s industrial ceilings, of Cana Wine & Cocktails’ bar.
Now, Binter — who along with wife, Patty, a year ago opened Central Market Wine & Spirits at 4729 E. Central — is planning to construct a space for a bar in the back of the 11,000 square-foot building that holds the liquor store.
He hopes it will become a gathering spot for College Hill, he said.
The bar’s working name is Wine Market Bistro, and it will feature a rooftop patio, cocktails, craft beer, wine and charcuterie. It’ll have those retractable garage doors and will offer a dog-friendly environment and live music. Binter is a longtime musician and plans to play there himself.
It should be ready to go this summer, shortly after the Fourth of July, he said.
Binter won’t run the bar — he plans to sublease it to someone else who will run it.
He says that his little area of East Central, which is not far from restaurants like Georges French Bistro, Picasso’s Pizzeria East, Albero Cafe, Angelo’s and The Hill Bar & Grill, is on the rise lately, and the new bar would add a needed component.
“It’s all moving this way,” he said. “This area is kind of becoming an east-side Delano district.”
The bar will not be accessible through the liquor store but will have a separate entrance on the south-facing side of the building. It will feature a second-story patio at the entrance, and upstairs, Binter plans to have seating around gas-fired tables. On clear days, he says, people hanging out upstairs will be able to see all the way to Hawker Beechcraft.
Inside will be a bar, seating on velvet sofas, and a staff that includes a mixologist making upscale craft cocktails. There will also be a section for craft beer lovers to hang out with their dogs, and hear live music.
“College Hill people will just love this,” Binter said. “They can walk over here, have a few strong beers, listen to music, then walk home.”
The bar won’t have a kitchen, but Binter said it will serve charcuterie trays, and he’s talked to neighboring restaurant and plans to pick up food and bring it back to the bar for customers who want it. He’ll also invite food trucks to park outside.
The bar is not the only addition Binter has planned for the liquor store.
The recent law change that allows liquor stores to sell items other than beverages has him making all kinds of plans. There’s an area in the center of the liquor store where he plans to start stocking party-friendly produce like lemons, limes, avocados and tomatoes as well as things like artisan cheeses and meats. He’s also working on plans to stage little farmers market events at his store starting this summer.
Central Market Wine & Spirits operates on the southwest corner of Central and Oliver in a space that previously held Three Pea Consignment Gallery. Years ago, it was a Williams Ace Hardware, and in the 1930s, it was home to a restaurant called Polar Bear.
Binter’s wife Patty Binter’s family got its start in the alcohol business at the end of Prohibition. Her grandfather, EW Sullivan, owned a business that eventually became Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.
Stay tuned for more updates on the new bar.
This story was originally published April 3, 2019 at 5:01 AM.
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