Jarrett and Hallie Stieber, the husband-and-wife team behind Summerhill favorite Little Bear, are courting investors for a new East Atlanta Village project. The planned spot, called Bar Schmutzi, is pitched as a cozy wine bar built around bottles and tight, shareable plates rather than a full restaurant menu. It would be the Stiebers' first venture outside Little Bear, where Jarrett has built a following for his inventive, small-plate cooking.
According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the couple has started presenting the Bar Schmutzi concept to potential backers and is actively raising funds for buildout and startup costs. A federal trademark application for "BAR SCHMUTZI" that covers wine bars and restaurants was filed on Oct. 16, 2025, per Justia Trademarks. The Chronicle report, by Rachel Cohen Noebes, also notes that the Stiebers are married and currently run Little Bear in Summerhill.
From Little Bear To A Wine Bar
Jarrett Stieber debuted Little Bear in early 2020, evolving it from his long-running Eat Me Speak Me pop-up into a compact neighborhood dining room built on seasonal small plates and a distinctive drinks program, as covered by Eater Atlanta. His cooking at Little Bear has earned local attention, including a Young Chef recognition in the MICHELIN Guide, and shows the team knows how to match a focused beverage list with concise, shareable food.
Why East Atlanta Village?
East Atlanta Village has been on a steady run of restaurant and bar openings as retail and nightlife demand bounce back, drawing operators who want walkable streets and late-night energy. Coverage of recent business turnover and new arrivals in the neighborhood highlights EAV's appeal as a home for smaller, destination-style concepts, according to reporting on local development by Urbanize Atlanta. That mix of foot traffic and an established evening scene lines up neatly with a bottle-forward wine bar courting both regulars and night-out crowds.
What’s Next
The Stiebers have not shared a public timeline or locked in an East Atlanta address. For now, they are concentrating on securing investors before they commit to a lease or begin permit work, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reports. If the funding falls into place, the usual next steps would follow: finding a space, navigating permits and pushing through a local buildout, while Little Bear continues as their operating flagship.
Atlanta diners who follow Little Bear's seasonal menus will be watching to see whether the Stiebers can bottle that small-plates-and-wine magic inside a compact East Atlanta Village bar. We will keep an eye on public filings and neighborhood listings as plans develop and share updates as they land.
