Photography by Daniel Finsley – Finsley Creative
“If you love refined ambience, fancy cocktails, a big a$$ sandwich & throwback jams, we’re soulmates.”
Those 15 words are what appear in the “Intro” area of Vue 42’s Facebook Timeline, and owner Courtney Castilo Riley smiles every time she reads it.
“There’s a cool mix here,” the entrepreneur said. “That’s because it’s all about having a terrific time.”
Castilo Riley, also the owner of Lux Boutique in St. Clairsville, purchased the historic property at 2247 Market Street where the Wheeling Brewing Company operated for six years before closing in February. She spent four months on a complete renovation, including all of the utilities, and tomorrow evening at 6 p.m., Castilo Riley’s vision becomes her reality.
“I’m looking forward to people coming here to unwind and loosen up with a nice cocktail and something great to eat,” Castillo Riley said. “It’s all about sitting down, taking a deep breathe, and relaxing with us in an environment like none other here in the city of Wheeling. It’s what I wanted to create all along, and now it’s going to become a reality.
“All with our specialty drinks, we’ll have the usual mix drinks and domestic and important beers,” she said. “We’ll also have non-alcoholic options because not everyone likes to consume alcohol these days and we want to accommodate everyone who may want to walk through our door.”
What Castilo Riley soon will offer in Centre Market is nothing close to any other business that has operated within the historic district, one that dates back to the late 1880s. For tomorrow evening’s grand opening, Haley Bundy and her band will perform.
“The Wheeling area is a modest community without a doubt, but I feel there is a demand for a place like Vue 42 people are going to love that city feel that will be inside these walls,” Castilo Riley insisted. “It’s going to be an atmosphere that will take people out of their comfort zone to show them that something like this can happen in this city. I really believe people are going to love a little flare in Wheeling for a change.
“We’ll also feature an up-scale appetizer menu because, these days, people like to snack more than just sitting down to a hug meal like we have for our entire lives around here,” she explained. “There’s a good variety on the menu, and there are some sandwiches on it for those who come to visit for something a little more than an appetizer. We had a lot of fun putting it all together, that’s for sure.”
A Sip and A Swallow
She has loved every morsel of what the man has ever prepared for her, so Castilo Riley recruited Chef Adam Luiso to serve as her culinary consultant.
The results?
Appetizers, flatbreads, sliders, salads, and “BIG A$$ SANDWICHES” are all menu features.
“My expertise is with the bar, so I definitely needed some help with our menu and that’s why I went to Chef Adam (Luiso),” Castilo Riley explained. “He and I connected through a previous employer and I always loved what he prepared during that time so it really was a no-brainer. And what he has developed for us is incredible.
“Chef Adam curated our menu and we’ve met to make sure those creations can be prepared here for our customers,” she said. “We went back and forth a little bit so it was what I thought would work best, and I am very excited to see how our customers react to everything. There’s a little bit of everything on there so I am positive everyone will be able to find what they would like.”
Chef Adam, who owns and operates Chef N Company with his wife, Brandy, was honored to be a part of what Castilo Riley is creating in Centre Market.
“Courtney’s enthusiasm always has excited me for what she planned to bring to the Wheeling area, and now that she is this close to seeing it all come to life is terrific,” he said. “And I am sure that we’ll add some things to the menu at Vue42, and we’ll take some things away, too.
“I have learned over the last year or so what the people in this area really enjoy, so I applied that knowledge to the Vue 42 menu and Courtney really likes what we have put together,” Luiso said. “She is a very determined young lady so it’s going to be an awesome thing to watch her dream come true.”
