“What appealed to me about the space was that it was already built out and was turnkey,” Mellon explains.
Mellon, who describes the previous business as a craft cocktail-heavy speakeasy, will shift the format into one that is more wine-focused.
“I’m not calling it a wine bar because I’m not a sommelier and I don’t want to pretend that I know more than I do, but after 30-something years in this business, I know what people want,” he says.
In addition to the wine list, Opal will carry local craft draft and enough booze to fashion basic cocktails. The beverages will be paired with sharable small plates like warm olives, burrata, artichoke dip, stuffed dates and flatbreads. Cheeseboards will be outfitted with Old Brooklyn cheese, naturally.
“My concept is like, if I was traveling and I stumbled upon a cool little bar, what would I like to eat,” Mellon says.
During his 30-plus years in the hospitality industry, Mellon has worked with names like Michael Symon, Sergio Abramof, Karen Small and Eric Williams at places such as Caxton Cafe, Johnny’s on Fulton, Lola and Flying Fig, where he worked for 13 years as manager.
Mellon says that he moved to Old Brooklyn from Tremont 13 years ago and has watched as it steadily progresses in a manner not unlike his previous neighborhood.
“There’s everyone from families to young, up-and-coming businesspeople to older people,” he explains. “There’s a nice mix of people in this neighborhood and I’m hoping to capitalize on that.”
If all goes as planned, Opal could be open as soon as Friday, July 13th.
This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 3, 2018.
This is great news!!! Our Chain Reaction project is also bringing lots of new businesses to Old Brooklyn. I really think this is the next big neighborhood to become super popular.
How that place stayed open for 5 years is beyond me. That place never had more than six people in it any of the times I visited and the drink prices were astronomical. Old Brooklyn is a shot-and-a-beer neighborhood, not a high-priced drink neighborhood. Would’ve done better in Ohio City or Tremont.
The last money infusion into Old Brooklyn businesses fizzled out with nothing to show for it. Remember the coffee-over-gelato cart from the Cleveland Shark Tank project? Of course not. They just took their seed money and ran. Or how about that web design business? Yeah, they never opened up, either.
Old Brooklyn will take off only if Kevin Kelley says it will, and he’s too busy being Frank Jackson’s lapdog, worrying about downtown, to care about Old Brooklyn. Just keep showing up at movie night every Tuesday to take applause for something you had nothing to do with.
What new businesses have come to Old Brooklyn as a direct result of Chain Reaction?
Chain Reaction is still ongoing. The web design business…there is the marketing firm that is doing very well and still very active in Old Brooklyn. The movie nights are the result of many different groups (including our council president). Dont forget about the second street party on July 29th!
Actually, the web design business, JAC Creative, opened up it’s office on Pearl Rd in the fall of 2015 and has remained open and active ever since.
They’ve worked with several business in Old Brooklyn such as Speed Exterminating, Metropolitan Coffee, The City Diner, and now Opal On Pearl. They are also active sponsors in many of the events that the OBCDC puts on as well.