Niche to reopen Citizen Wine Bar within a year

Photo/Google Citizen Wine Bar, Still & Stir and The People's Kitchen will close at the end of the year, which was attributed to a recent sale of the building at One Exchange Place.

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By Sarah Connell

After Worcester restaurant Citizen Wine Bar closes at the end of the year at One Exchange Place, its parent company Niche Hospitality Group will look for a new location, possibly along Grove Street.

Niche President Michael Covino told WBJ he hopes to reopen the Citizen within a year.

Niche decided to close the Citizen along with its sister restaurants Still & Stir and People's Kitchen at One Exchange Place after the building was sold to Hingham real estate firm BradyMac Capital Advisory.

Covino said the infrastructure at One Exchange Place was outdated for what Niche wanted to do with the Citizen Wine Bar concept. The lack of parking in the area was a factor as well.

In looking for a new location, Covino said he is intrigued by the Grove Street corridor in Worcester, particularly around the new 55,000-square-foot Trolley Yard, which is the former Worcester Regional Transit Authority garage site.

Each of The Citizen’s 24 employees was given the opportunity to continue working for Niche, including management. Covino plans to compensate employees during their training periods after the new year.

To read more about Niche's plans for the Citizen, its attempts at a Mercantile Center location and the future of its fast-casual offerings, check out the Worcester Business Journal magazine coming out on Monday.