Downtown Chandler’s newest addition, Vintage 95, opens to public Friday

Vintage 95, a new wine lounge in downtown Chandler, hosted an invitation-only soft opening tonight and opens its doors to the public at 5 p.m. Friday.

The lounge takes over the former Siracha space, and the changes are numerous, including a new wine room, a new fireplace, a new bar and a new kitchen.

Vintage 95 is the brainchild of Gavin Jacobs, who spent eight years as a bartender and day manager at House of Tricks in Tempe.

“Bob and Robin (Trick) taught me so much,” he says. “They’re amazing people.”

Jacobs says he scouted locations from the Valley to San Diego, and ultimately settled on the space that housed Chandler’s first post office in 1926.

“I like the old, rustic feel,” he says. “I wanted something with culture.”

Vintage 95 will be open 5 p.m. to midnight this weekend before assuming its regular hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday.

Although the staff was still doing last-minute preparations Thursday afternoon, Jacobs gave MXSW a quick tour:

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Jacobs planned to call his wine lounge Vintage even before he found the Chandler location. The "95" comes from the address: 95 W. Boston St.

The building formerly was divided into two narrow spaces – one was KiZake Sushi & Martinis and the other Vivi’s Boutique – but has been opened into one 2,800-square-foot space.

Jacobs describes Vintage 95 as 50% lounge and 50% restaurant.

Siracha's karoake room has been converted into a climate-controlled wine room. It currently boasts 800 bottles, with room to grow to 2,000.

The antique door on the wine room was imported from India.

An unused gas line in the wall led to the addition of a fireplace.

The 11-seat bar is made from 2x4s that are stained and coated with several layers of polyurethane and lacquer. Plaster was removed from the bar back to expose the brick.