Wine and jazz club prepares to welcome indoor guests

Wine and jazz club prepares to welcome indoor guests
Owners Nadia and Shatawn Brigham postponed the grand opening of GRNoir Wine & Jazz due to the COVID-19 pandemic. <strong>Courtesy GRNoir Wine & Jazz</strong>

GRNoir Wine & Jazz plans to hold the slightly delayed grand opening of its wine bar and jazz club Monday, the day a statewide ban on indoor dining ends.

Owners Shatawn and Nadia Brigham opened their downtown Grand Rapids jazz club at 35 S. Division Ave. in December but focused first on curbside delivery of wine and food since COVID-19 restrictions didn’t allow indoor dining. Since then, they’ve begun shipping wine to buyers around the state. They’ll begin serving food and drinks inside the club Monday.

Shatawn Brigham is the only Black sommelier in Grand Rapids and is eager to help customers discover new wines. He and his wife Nadia designed GRNoir to be a place where guests can celebrate the complex and colorful connections between American and global cultures through wine and jazz.

“We’re excited to open the doors to anyone who wants to enjoy fine wine and jazz, whether you know a lot about them or a little,” Shatawn Brigham said. “Whether you want to pair our intriguing small plates with a glass of wine or order a case of wine shipped to you, I’m happy to discuss our stock of interesting and tasteful wines that are perfect to share with friends and family.”

The Brighams plan to feature local and regional jazz artists in live performances and will have live music at Monday’s grand opening and throughout the week. GRNoir also offers a variety of innovative small plates specially selected to pair well with wine. For those who can’t stop in and dine, wine and food orders for curbside pickup are available by calling (616) 719-1191. The club will be open from 3-10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and will stay open later once statewide restrictions are lifted.

“We want GRNoir to be a place for joy, a space to laugh and love, to share stories and meet friends old and new,” Nadia Brigham said. “As avid fans of wine and jazz, we’re eager to welcome folks of all backgrounds and experience levels so they can celebrate the rich histories and cultures of wine and jazz and Black America’s contributions to these spaces.”

GRNoir offers four tiers in its wine club, each allowing members to discover, explore and savor wine at a level that’s comfortable for them. Wine club members and customers can order a variety of wines by phone or online. GRNoir offers its wine for shipment throughout Michigan.