Wine bar, restaurant in Wilmington’s South Front District to close

Allison Ballard, Wilmington StarNews
Updated ·2 min read

The owner of The Second Glass in Wilmington has announced the restaurant will close. In a post on social media, she said the decision was difficult but was made with thoughtful reflection on the current economic climate.

“The forces of inflation and the state of the economy have led us to a crossroads, leading to the decision to not re-sign our upcoming lease,” the post said.

According to the post, The Second Glass will close for good on Sunday, April 14.

Celeste Glass was a co-owner of The Fortunate Glass and sold that business to Tom Noonan to build a new restaurant from the ground up with an onsite wine room, bar, and indoor and outdoor dining areas in the growing South Front District at 1540 S. Second St. in Wilmington. The post said the evolution to The Second Glass in 2018 was a leap of faith, “driven by a desire to broaden our dining offerings and welcome more of you into our space.”

“Yes, I am sad,” Glass said. “But it was what I had to do.”

The Second Glass, at 1540 S. Second St. in Wilmington, is set to close for good on April 14. MATT BORN/STARNEWS FILE
The Second Glass, at 1540 S. Second St. in Wilmington, is set to close for good on April 14. MATT BORN/STARNEWS FILE

The restaurant became well known for thoughtfully prepared, locally sourced food, wine events, and brunch service. The post also thanked the restaurant’s staff, loyal customers and every guest who has walked through the doors.

“Your companionship on this journey has been the highlight of our days, filled with laughter, shared stories and, of course, exquisite wine,” it read. "Though we say goodbye to this chapter, The Fortunate Glass continues to pour great wine, and we hope to see you there, keeping the spirit of The Second Glass alive."

The post also invited The Second Glass guests to have another meal or glass of wine with them before April 14. It will also sell its wine at retail prices.

The South Front District is home to restaurants and bars like Satellite Bar and Lounge, Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria and True Blue Butcher and Barrel. A nearby New Anthem production center and taproom closed in the district in March.

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: The Second Glass restaurant in Wilmington, NC, to close