Wyne Tasting Bar, the self-pour wine lounge that turned a stretch of Detroit Avenue into Cleveland's answer to a relaxed Australian-style tasting room, is officially up for sale. Co-owners Belinda and Jay Klein have decided to part with the 45-seat spot at 6800 Detroit Ave. as they plan to move closer to their aging parents.
According to Cleveland Scene, the listing stems from personal family circumstances. The outlet reports that Belinda Klein's mother had a cancer scare in April, and that her father recently celebrated his 80th birthday — milestones that pushed the couple toward a decision to relocate and be nearer to them. Belinda and Jay Klein said they are looking for a passionate new owner to guide Wyne's next chapter, someone who shares their enthusiasm for wine exploration and community-driven events.
A Self-Pour Concept Built From Scratch
Wyne opened in October 2022 as Cleveland's first dedicated self-pour wine tasting lounge, according to WKYC, featuring a high-tech wine preservation and pouring system dispensing 32 varieties of red and white wines. Guests can sample the offerings independently in 1-ounce tastes, 2.5-ounce half glasses, or 5-ounce full glasses, alongside a light food menu served in the space's two-room, 45-seat lounge.
The self-pour setup wasn't just a gimmick — it reflected co-owner Belinda Klein's vision for the place. She brought over a decade of hospitality experience from her native Australia when she launched Wyne, per the station's report, aiming to create a chic but casual wine lounge that promotes a relaxed wine-tasting experience. Klein has said she wanted Wyne to be a chic but casual wine lounge that promotes a relaxed wine-tasting experience.
Building on a Storefront With History
The interior was custom constructed by local Cleveland firm Koludro Construct, with soft seating zones, low tables, and high-top seating, the same report notes. That soda fountain was Sweet Moses Soda Fountain & Treat Shop, which occupied 6800 Detroit Ave. for a decade before closing in October 2021 after a long-planned business sale fell through, as detailed by Cleveland Scene, which reported that owner Jeff Moreau closed the shop when a prospective buyer backed out after months of negotiation.
Sweet Moses's closure rippled through the neighborhood beyond just Wyne's arrival. Former Sweet Moses employee Jennifer Taggart opened Lake Erie Scoops nearby at 6604 Detroit Ave. in early 2023 to fill the dessert void the closure left behind — though that shop closed this past spring as well.
Turnover and Investment Along Detroit Avenue
Wyne's sale lands amid activity along Detroit Avenue. The W Sports Bar at 5428 Detroit Ave. closed in May after just one year in operation, a departure Hoodline covered in its piece on Cleveland's first women-owned sports bar bowing out downtown.
Yet the corridor remains part of a changing hospitality landscape even as older operators exit. Detroit Avenue's broader institutional and arts landscape adds another dimension to the strip.
What a Buyer Would Inherit
Since the Gordon Square Arts District initiative launched in 2006, the neighborhood has accumulated more than $500 million in public and private investment and attracted over 80 new businesses, according to Near West Theatre. That growth has turned Detroit Avenue into a major West Side dining and theater hub, built through a joint CDC and arts campaign.
According to the City of Cleveland's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the $12 million Gordon Square Homes development project included the rehabilitation of four buildings and the creation and preservation of 85 rental-housing units.
Any prospective buyer of Wyne will also be navigating the property's location in the Gordon Square Arts District. It remains unclear whether a future owner will keep Wyne's turn-key self-pour wine system and liquor license intact, or whether the space will remain a wine lounge at all once new ownership takes over.
