We’ve been meaning to post a little update on Essex Flowers’ move to Grand Street. Owner Bill Frazer is settling in at 365 Grand Street, the former home of the infamous pizzeria, Isabella’s Oven. It’s a much larger location than the old flower shop at 39 Essex. He’s fixed up the backyard nicely and hopes to hold some special events out there in the future (pumpkin picking, for instance). 
Bill said he thought about opening a restaurant in the new location (he already runs Flowers Cafe at the corner of Essex and Grand). But since there’s no kitchen, remodeling costs would have been substantial — and without a liquor license – Bill says the numbers just didn’t add up.
Instead, he’s preparing to open “Sweet Grapes,” a wine bar in the former flower shop location on Essex. The community board signed off on a liquor license last month (now the State Liquor Authority must weigh in). The coffee shop/wine bar will be open from noon-midnight weekedays – until 2am weekends. Bill says he’s not planning anything fancy. He’s putting together a menu of light snacks. “Sweet Grapes” is meant to be a casual place for people in the neighborhood to hang out.
