Vena’s Fizz House to renovate old church for new mix in Portland's West End
Courtesy / Vena's Fizz House
The owners of Vena's Fizz House, Johanna and Steve Corman, stand outside their new location on Congress Street in Portland.
Vena’s Fizz House will reopen in an expanded space in Portland’s West End that will bring back the mixology shop and bar, as well as provide space for events.
Vena’s previous location on Fore Street closed in January, due in part to the pandemic. Now a larger, 4,800-square-foot space at 867 Congress St. will open in the spring of 2022.
“Our long-term goal was to eventually scale and grow into a bigger space but the pandemic definitely forced our hand to make that decision earlier than we had planned,” said Vena's co-owner Johanna Corman.
“The building is rich in Portland’s history,” said Mary Jo Marquis, Vena’s director of business development. “Built in 1889, its original use was a church and we are thrilled to now own this historic property and create an entirely new footprint that will bring fresh energy to that corner of the city.”
Vena’s is just starting renovations on the new location, with the electrical system having to be redone from scratch, Marquis said.
The building has always been home to a church, which lends itself to a unique space for events, Marquis said. Vena’s will have its own themed events, as well as offer it as a rental space for outside events.
“It’s a nice space. Not huge, but not small. It’s perfect for an intimate wedding,” Marquis said.
Vena’s new location will have space for larger mixology classes than in the old venue, as well as a retail space featuring vintage barware and other products. The bar will feature drinks and “small bites” of food, but not an expansive menu.
Vena’s opened in 2013 as a venue for fizzy drinks and nonalcoholic “mocktails.” The beverage purveyor added alcohol to its lineup in 2015. Vena's also makes all natural and organic beverage ingredients, such as bitters and syrups, in a facility in Westbrook.
During the pandemic, Vena’s focused on its wholesale and retail brand of ingredients and beverage-making products.
“It was good that we didn’t have all our eggs in one basket. The products were always the neglected child that we were finally able to put 100% of our effort into. We’ve gone national with the brand,” Marquis said.
Vena’s makes 15 flavors of infusions that it calls “A Bar in a Jar,” made with all-natural, freeze-dried fruits, herbs and sweeteners. The company also has a line of bitters, bitters-infused sugar cubes and Maine pine syrup.
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This is great news. I’ve been a fan of Vena’s and Steve and Johanna. I’m excited to see the new incarnation of Vena’s on my next trip to Portland!
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