A new chapter has been uncorked at Spirits of Mount Vernon, where a next generation of ownership is taking over a beloved neighborhood wine shop and bar that has improbably served as a community anchor for two decades.
Victoria Schassler, the owner who has toiled to maintain and grow the venue since building out the space beginning in 2003, has decided to sell her interest and move on to her next venture.
A partnership group with experience at the location will be taking over, promising a continuation of welcoming hospitality along with an employee profit-sharing plan.
“To hand the keys over, it will be positive for the team and the neighborhood,” Schassler, 58, said during a recent visit. “The talent that exists in the new team is such that they can take it to a level that I can’t.”
Spirits of Mount Vernon has been open since 2005, evolving from a store selling bottles to a full-service gathering spot where bartenders mix cocktails behind a counter. It’s known for clean, inviting spaces and large windows that overlook Charles and Read streets.
Terrell Boston Smith, 42, began frequenting as a customer more than a decade ago, and in 2018 started working there. He sensed that Schassler was reaching a transition, and told her that when she was ready, he would help take over.
She recently accepted the offer. Boston Smith joined with two partners – Octavius E. Smith and Jeffry Stevenson – to create a management, transition and growth plan. Each has a background in finance and management, as well as experience at the shop. They submitted an application to transfer the liquor license to the new ownership group this month.
The goal, he said, is to continue the legacy of hospitality and create a joyful environment as the shop thrives as a “modern main street retailer” and community space. The new team hopes to grow sales and make administrative functions smoother, while establishing an employee ownership trust that will distribute an estimated 40 percent of profits to employees.
“It’s a community space; it’s important for the community,” Boston Smith said. “It’s continuing the legacy, and the opportunity for growth.”
The building at 900 N. Charles St. boasts a remarkable history. Construction dates to the 1860s, and the storefront was long the site of MacGillivray’s Pharmacy. Apartments were added to the rear of the four-story brick building around 1900.
Since its earliest days, the pharmacy had a license to dispense controlled substances, said Schassler, because of codeine then legally sold there. But MacGillivray’s became a shabby liquor store by the later part of the 20th century, and the building fell into disrepair. Its exterior wall was leaning, and it was placed up for auction, a candidate for a teardown.
Instead, community members banded together, pooled $400,000 of their own money and got some additional financing, and bought it themselves, said Charles Duff, the president of Jubilee Baltimore and developer who has been involved with more than 300 properties in Baltimore.
The redevelopment effort – which involved Schassler – was the first of its kind in the nation, said Duff, and received support from the National Trust and HGTV. He recalls an invitation to speak at the nearby Emmanuel Episcopal Church as construction was taking place. He told the congregation that the best way to help neighborhood redevelopment was to “drink more – but buy your hooch across the street.”
The quip, he said, resulted in a standing ovation.
Since then, the building has remained well-maintained, but has not produced a windfall through either a sale to a new owner, or by condo-izing the apartments – both of which had been part of the vision. “I don’t think any of us thought we’d still be involved,” Duff said. “None of us have made a penny out of this.”
Schassler has been a continuing presence since 2005, putting her training as a former Marriott executive to use as she builds connections with patrons and welcomes their dogs into the shop. In fact, the walls of Spirits of Mount Vernon are covered with artist paintings of 35 neighborhood pooches – including her own French mastiffs, Bear and Wilma.
Reviews on Yelp and Google are exceedingly positive, noting the friendly and helpful staff, cozy vibe and good variety. About 18-20 self-managed team members work there, mostly within walking distance. Clientele include graduate students and local residents, and every night has a different feel, patrons say.
Schassler is proud of what she has built, but time passes, and muscles grow weary. Hours of lifting cases and washing glasses have taken their toll. Schassler is ready for her next gig, but is not yet sure what that looks like. The new management team is ready to take up the challenge, and turn their fresh ideas into reality.
One bottle at a time.
What a treasure she built. What an engaging personality. What great wine. She warmed my heart when talking with her, later her wine soothed the day’s anxiety.