REDDING — Two Redding entrepreneurs have blended their shared passion for food and entertainment to open Georgetown Owl Market & Saloon, a new market and restaurant space in the village that share's the business' name.
“We think everything down in Georgetown is already amazing, and we wanted to add to the great stuff happening here,” said co-owner Kate Perry, co-secretary of the nonprofit Georgetown Village Restoration and former owner of Restaurant Bea in Seattle.
The Georgetown Owl Market & Saloon, which opened at 19 Main St. in March, features a market space on one side and a restaurant on the other side. The market has a selection of specialty goods, including goat milk soap, jams, mustards, locally made sushi, meats from small batch farms, and more.
On the restaurant side, diners can take their pick from the menu of upscale comfort food, from the wild boar sloppy joe and Owl Bar burger to guanciale ragu, pulled duck poutine and lamb chop lollipops. The bar also offers beer on tap and specialty craft cocktails.
Co-owner Gerry Valenti, a founding partner of Taconic Distillery in Stanfordville, N.Y., said he and Perry work with the bartenders and the chef to craft the offerings. “We’re super collaborative and want to be involved as much as possible,” he said.
They also share space with Quartertone Coffee Roasters, which roasts its coffee at the Georgetown Owl Market & Saloon and have a coffee bar on the market side.
Since opening, Valenti said they have had “a lot of repeat customers” coming from Wilton, Redding, Weston, Ridgefield and beyond.
“We’re super thankful for the response from the community so far,” he said. “Everyone has been really nice.”
Among their future plans inside the restaurant space, Valenti said he and Perry plan to host agrarian classes on beekeeping and making charcuterie. Perry said they also plan to add brunch to the menu and host events on the market side.
Above all, they plan “to deliver a great experience and quality products to the community,” Valenti said.
“We have no intent to expand,” he said. “We’re 100% committed to this space.”
The space at 19 Main St. previously housed restaurants, including the Washington Prime restaurant and taproom, which closed in October 2018 after three years in business, the Olive Market and a dance-lesson studio.
“It was a great place for community gatherings, which is what we’re trying to emulate,” Valenti said.
At the Georgetown Owl Market & Saloon, the market is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and the restaurant is open from 4 to 10:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and from 4 p.m. to midnight on Saturdays and Sunday.