A new wine bar and bistro called The Proper Glass is being proposed for Brickwalk Village in Farmington's historic town center, with plans for an extensive wine list, a small cocktail program and a menu built around charcuterie boards and shareable small plates. Applicant Timothy J. Ratchford has filed for a special permit and site plan approval to open the restaurant at 5 Brickwalk Lane, and the proposal landed on town officials' desks this week as part of a broader push to fill out the century-old mixed-use complex.
Application Heads to Town Commission
The Farmington Town Plan and Zoning Commission was scheduled to accept Ratchford's application and set a public hearing date Monday, according to town planner Shannon Rutherford, as reported by Hartford Business Journal. A public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 7. Separately, Patch reported that the Town Plan and Zoning Commission placed the application for the address, also listed as 767 Farmington Ave., on its meeting agenda for Monday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m., with a public hearing date tentatively slated for Dec. 7.
Ratchford told Hartford Business Journal in an email that The Proper Glass aims to offer something for everyone, and he said the concept wants to preserve the building's historic charm. His plans call for an extensive wine list with by-the-glass and reserve options alongside a cocktail program, and the menu is expected to feature bistro fare and small plates including charcuterie boards, shareable appetizers, entrees and desserts, per the same report. The restaurant is expected to employ six to eight people.
Seating Plan and a Parking Wrinkle
Plans call for 22 seats on the first floor, 16 on the second floor and 16 more on a patio, though the second floor is expected to close when the patio opens during warmer months. Rutherford assumed that 38 seats would typically be in use at any given time, and her calculation put the restaurant's parking need at 13 spaces, not counting staff. Parking is likely sufficient in the evening when neighboring Hartford Baking Co. is closed, but probably insufficient at lunchtime when that bakery is open, according to the same report.
Ratchford does not plan to change the exterior of the existing building, aside from eventually adding signage to the front. Any exterior changes would still require permits from the Farmington Historic District Commission and the zoning commission, along with review by the town's architectural design review committee, per the report.
A Historic Complex Under New Ownership
The building is part of Brickwalk Village, a 10-building complex at Farmington Avenue and High Street that includes seven structures more than a century old. Eric Amodio and Frank Amodio Sr. bought the complex for $5.45 million in December 2025, and Frank Amodio Sr. said at the time that the family planned to improve the property while maintaining its historic character.
Brickwalk Village spans three abutting properties — 2 High St., 767 Farmington Ave. and 757 Farmington Ave. — totaling nearly 2.2 acres with just over 20,000 square feet of space and nine luxury apartments, according to Hartford Business Journal's earlier coverage of the sale. Existing tenants include Webster Bank, Hartford Baking Co., Vivid Hue and Brickwalk Dentistry, placing The Proper Glass alongside an established retail and residential mix if it moves forward.
