New owners rename Friendship Gourmet Market, plan cafe-style renovations and community events
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Summary
Owners of the former Friendship Gourmet Market told the Friendship Heights Village meeting they have renamed the store Friendship Beer and Wine Deli, filed county permits for renovations including a full kitchen and hood system, and said early events have drawn roughly 50–60 neighbors.
Juergen, a new owner of the shop formerly known as Friendship Gourmet Market, told a community meeting that he and a business partner bought the store on Dec. 1 and have renamed it Friendship Beer and Wine Deli.
"We have renamed it to, friendship, beer and wine deli," Juergen said, adding that the partners want the shop to be "more of a hangout for the neighborhood" rather than just a retail outlet.
The owners described plans to renovate the space to create a bistro-like atmosphere. "We're gonna add a full kitchen with a hood system there as well and add a larger countertop," Juergen said, and they are working with an architect named Luz and filing permits with the county.
Juergen said the team is making modest seating changes now — removing shelving and adding tables and chairs — and intends to host more events to draw neighbors. He cited a recent music night featuring a former resident and said the turnout was "over, 50, 60 people" (his phrasing), an approximate figure the owners offered as an early sign of community interest.
The deli also plans regular wine tastings with on-site food prepared by a chef the owners identified as Tavar. "We do provide food as well that's free. On Friday, we do it," Juergen said, and he invited meeting attendees to future tastings.
Juergen added that the mayor attended one recent event. That appearance was reported by the owner during the meeting and was not independently confirmed in the session.
A moderator who identified themselves only as living across the street thanked the owners, said they will visit the deli, and offered to include the owners near the start of the agenda at the next meeting.
The owners presented the changes as neighborhood-oriented: "We don't wanna be any more than that," Juergen said, describing the intent as creating a local gathering place. There were no formal votes or official actions recorded on the item during the meeting.
