With our office located in Subi, I’m not ashamed to admit I have ended up at Bark—the beloved West Aussie themed small bar—more often than not for a halloumi and chip wrap and a cheeky mid-day midi. So when we got wind of a new wine bar from the stellar team, opening a mere 300m down the road, I was obviously very excited. And you will be too once you hear what they’ve got going on at Lums Wine Bar.
Owners Mitch Jenkin, Lee Hutchings and Oliver Wasse and new addition Ashley Allen have taken over a beautiful 1920s two storey heritage listed terrace smack bang in the heart of Hay St and turned it into a 120-person wine bar that’s big on character and homely vibes.
The charming original features are all there—original jarrah floorboards, exposed brickwork and those airy high ceilings—but they’ve given it a bit of a glow-up too. The first thing you’ll notice is an inviting earthy green quartz bar drawing you in for another drink, but venture further and you’ll find an outdoor covered courtyard (rain, be damned) plus a street front parklet coming soon.
At that bar, they’re all about pouring wine “for the people” so you can expect a good mix of new school and traditional drops, from classic Margs Chardy to funky French Gamay and all the delicious drops in between. And when you get peckish, the food menu will deliver the perfect grazing goods you crave with wine—think: cheese and charcuterie boards, share-style tapas and light bites.
The focus here is really on building community, creating a space where everyone feels welcome, whether you’re just popping by for an afterwork wine or getting a group together for something special. Funnily enough, the building’s already been quite the community hotspot, in its original incarnation as the family-run EA Lums Grocery & General Store. They want to tap into that same community spirit and create a space that truly feels like an extension of home. Given how well the team already do this at Bark, we’re pretty sure they’ll nail it.
“We’ve built such a wonderful little community of locals at Bark and Subiaco really feels like home now," says Mitch Jenkin. "It’s such an honour to be bringing a little piece of local history back to life—we can’t wait to welcome all our neighbours over for a drink.”
Lums Wine Bar opens softly at 433 Hay Street Subiaco from 4pm on Friday 5 August and noon on Saturday 5 August. They’ll be running with a limited wine list and snack menu for this month, with Lums officially opening in full force this September.
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Image credit: Danica Zuks