The new provisions store/speakeasy on Spring is such a treat I had to cross the Canal Street border to check them out a few times now.  It’s a product of Alyssa Golub and Lindsay Weiss, two friends who have been scratching out back-of-envelope ideas for eight years when this one finally gelled.

The pair met in San Francisco (hence the name — the two streets they lived on); Lindsay worked in experiential marketing and food-related events and Alyssa is a sommelier who worked in restaurant operations. But both were pulled back to the city when covid hit. Both had a parent die in 2020, both were living in New York for the first time in years, and both were mulling over their next move professionally when they put their heads together last Memorial Day. Conception to opening day was less than a year.

“Lindsay had a vision for the shop, and my passion is bars and restaurants,” said Alyssa. “Plus I said I would never work in operations again unless it was my own.”

The “front” is Pine & Polk, a specialty provisions shop that stocks fine foods and snacks — gourmet chocolates, coffees, cheeses — plus prepared foods, all with a local and women-owned focus. (Think: stocking a first-date picnic or assembling the perfect hostess gift.) The real action is behind the door of chocolates, where PS, the cocktail bar, is hidden like a little jewel box. It’s beautiful, and there’s a synergy: the bar snacks can often be found on the shelves in Pink & Polk. And they are delicious.

The chef, Ali Ghriskey, makes a mean grazing board, but I loved the blue cheese-stuffed fried olives, and I don’t like olives! There’s also Martin’s pretzels with horseradish mustard, za’atar spiced nuts, hot honey chickpea mix plus sandwiches and other hot snacks — enough to make a dinner out of it IMO. The leadership is all women: Melissa Brooke is the bar director; Aimee Ollman is the general manager.

Initially they wanted to be in the West Village, but a space they liked fell through. The former Union Bar + Kitchen had everything they wanted: a full kitchen, a generous storefront, and a way to create an L-shaped space to make the store and the bar fit together with the kitchen in the middle.

They can only sell beer and wine in the shop, but customers can leave with the fig spread or crackers they had on their grazing platter. Part of that idea came from their time in Napa, where you leave with a bottle after visiting the winery. Plus they try to find products that are unique. “We are trying to lift small brands up and give them a place on the shelf,” said Lindsay. “The biggest compliment is when people who know their stuff say there are lots of brands they haven’t seen before.”

Part of the fun is collaborations: The pastry chef from Gage & Tollner created a cookie for them; there’s homemade pasta from LaRina; kimchi from Mokbar chef Esther Choi. And more coming: Pop-up brunches, classes, wine tastings.

“The world is our oyster with this space,” Lindsay said.

Pine & Polk
300 Spring | Hudson & Renwick
(646) 599-6382