By Steven Smalley
Swirl Wine Bar in the Magnolia Village may soon become a neighborhood pub called The Nook. The new owner for the space on McGraw Street is waiting on permits and if all goes well the changeover will happen in early May.
Swirl is currently closed and there is brown paper covering the windows.
Greenwood resident David Shelnut is enthusiastic about the prospects for his new restaurant. ?It was love at first sight,? said Shelnut. He has 19 years in the restaurant business and plans to open what he calls a cozy neighborhood establishment offering small seasonal food plates along with wine, and 8-12 local microbrews on-tap. Shelnut wants to make The Nook a welcoming place for diners to relax and enjoy. He says the still under construction menu will feature appetizers, soups, and salads along with seasonal fare. He also says customers can expect lots of attention from the owner plus a friendly bartender and table service.
The outdoor dining portion of the restaurant will remain in operation, weather permitting and Shelnut wants us to remind customers that there is air conditioning for hot weather.
Shelnut expects to hit the ground running after all the permits are in place. The previous owners of Swirl, which Shelnut says was a successful operation, are moving to the San Francisco area.
We will keep you posted and let you know when The Nook opens.
Annie had a delightful closing celebration on March 31 and will be missed. Looking forward to The Nook’s spin on wine (and beer) when it opens.
I hope that he carries a varitey of local washington wines!
Sad to see the quiet little friendly place go.
Please let the new place be a TV-free bar setting…!!!!!
Well what a wonderful “new” idea…a pub with wine and beer.
happy to see the change — the previous place had a closed club that I wouldn’t want to be a member of sort of vibe (even as a dedicated wine snob who passes just fine as an upwardly mobile Magnolian).
Greenwood resident owner prolly means a little more inclusive (or at least neutral) atmosphere. Make this place as a upscale The Dray and I’m there twice a week!
Guess it takes being friendly when you walk in. Only have lived in Magnolia for a bit more than a year, and the old crew at Swirl were very nice — no “closed club” vibe. And no need to have pretensions to being upscale, as some apparently prefer.
So sad to see swirl go. I loved the place and never felt like it was a closed club. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and the truffle popcorn was a treat.
I hope the new place stays TV-free and kid-free. There are so few cozy places where I can have an adult night out away from my own kids once in a while. Swirl was that place for me.
Thank you to everyone who frequented Swirl Wine Bar. I have nothing but fond memories of Magnolia and Swirl. It will take time to dial into the local community here in Willow Glen (San Jose area) but I am hopeful the the locals will be as welcoming and fun as my beloved little Magnolia. Cheers to all and please patronize Dave’s Nook. I’m sure it will be fabulous!
Annie Hoffman (Swirl owner)
Is this related to the nook that just opened in u district?