VERO BEACH — The Blue Star Wine Bar, located at 925 Bougainvillea Lane, quietly opened its doors in time for Vero Beach’s annual Christmas parade and hasn’t had a chance to slow down since.
In addition to Blue Starfish, which Kitty Wagner operated in the same location from 2003 to 2006, she later co-owned another spot, the Undertow Surf Cafe on Old Dixie, and tried hard to keep the two spots going before she decided to give her all to the funky hangout on the mainland.
It was a comfortable, bohemian spot where you could wander in for a drink, and the bartender would make you a custom cocktail to suit your mood.
The menu changed according to Wagner’s impulses, and there was a feeling of being at the home of a very creative friend who liked to cook.
Alas, all good things must end, and in 2010, Wagner, who had been working straight for 10 years, decided to take some time to herself.
After selling Undertow, she rented out her house, and hit the road, traveling to many of the 50 states, including Alaska, and to Canada.
As feisty as Annie Oakley, and as unsinkable as Molly Brown, Wagner made a stop in her hometown, Columbus, Ohio, reconnected with family and friends, and participated in the Pelotonia, a 180-mile charity bicycle ride benefiting research at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
While traveling through the United States, she developed an affinity for the Hill Country of Texas, and began envisioning her current venture, a true tongue twister after a few samples from her extensive wine list.
The Blue Star Wine Bar is much like Wagner herself, refusing to put on airs just because it is located beachside.
Friends and former customers have been stopping by to congratulate Wagner, a true benedictine in her philosophy of hospitality, on her new venture and to survey the progress of construction.
The flow of customers has to be an indication of an economic upturn, and people have been stopping in to survey the construction and see if the wine has started flowing yet.
“This community has backed me,” said Wagner gratefully. “I had a $25,000 budget and got this place up and running through the good will of many good friends.”
What was supposed to be a soft opening over the weekend of the Christmas parade turned out to be busy scenes each night, testifying to the fact that Central Beach needed an informal, friendly hangout for people who want to stay up past 8 p.m.
The place has been hopping since the lights have gone on, and it is because it is a warm, inviting spot.
There’s a grand piano, where people walk in off the street to check the menu and end up playing something beautiful.
Ed Shanaphy, a local tennis professional, sat down on a Saturday night and began to play, much to the delight of the other patrons, and was paid with a beer on the house.
Mismatched sofas and chairs add a whimsical, homey touch, but there is still a sophisticated, grown-up vibe about the place.
On each visit, there is something else that wasn’t there before and it has the feel of a beach house, with a great birch bar, shined with teak oil by Wagner herself.
If you feel like being social and making new friends, or chatting with Wagner, an oenophile and a raconteur in the best sense, the bar is your spot.
If a little more privacy is what you crave, check out the back, where there are several sofas and coffee tables, complete with knick-knacks that add a cozy touch for those who are far from home.
Wagner has plans to add wi-fi, although the bar will not have a television, so that people can really converse with each other.
It is the perfect spot to steal away, or just to get out of the house and have a nourishing cup of chicken corn chowder and read a book alone for awhile.
If you are feeling especially social, you can run into people you know or who you would like to know. The live music does not interfere with opportunities for conversation.
There are places to sit on the patio, including some more comfortable couches, where you can linger over a glass of affordable, high-quality, small production wines or craft beers on tap, including Stone Ruination, Florida Cracker White, Cigar City, all from Florida breweries, as well as Shiner Bock, Grimbergen, and Brooklyn Brewery Chocolate Stout, with distinct hints of espresso and chocolate.
The food is unpretentious, but tasty, especially the pulled pork sliders, garnished with a pickled okra.
Because the Blue Star Wine Bar is Wagner’s creation, it is much like Wagner herself, fun, unpretentious, and friendly.
Wagner, described by one patron as “a true entrepreneur,” puts the ‘hospitality’ in the “hospitality industry,” focusing on the good times her guests are having and making sure everyone is taken care of.
Her new venture is still morphing into what it is going to be.
“Right now, I am getting a hang of our new kitchen,” she explained.
Opening each day at 11 a.m. for those in the mood for a leisurely lunch, Wagner hopes to eventually add a cappuccino machine.
“It’s a little like a coffee shop that serves alcohol,” she laughed.
And closing time?
“Depends on the crowd,” laughed Wagner, as she ambled back into the kitchen to keep the goodies flowing.
