VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Virginia Beach will add another winery to the city.
Located at 4401 Shore Drive, Mermaid Winery will open on Thursday at 4 p.m., following a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Grand Opening Celebration will cost $25 per person, and tickets can be purchased here.
“The energy in the Chic’s Beach area is amazing and has fueled the Mermaid Winery team with exceptional enthusiasm. We are excited to be part of the Shore Drive Community and produce Virginia Beach made wines,” says Mermaid Winery owner Jennifer Eichert.
Mermaid Winery was founded in the Ghent neighborhood of Norfolk in 2012, and decided to expand to Virginia Beach after the Virginia Beach Development Authority approved the move in September 2017, according to city officials.
The winery participated in an Economic Development Investment Program grant to help with the cost of adding a second location in Virginia Beach.
The grant gave the winery an amount of $38,000 based on the company’s capital investment in its Virginia Beach location of more than $1 million that includes real estate, machinery and furniture, fixtures and equipment.
“Mermaid Winery has achieved great success with its unique approach to crafting wines in this region, and we are looking forward to celebrating this milestone with them,” said Virginia Beach Economic Development Director Warren D. Harris.
The new 8,084-square-foot location will allow Mermaid Winery to increase the company’s wine manufacturing capabilities. Like the existing location, the Virginia Beach facility will include a wine bar where the winemaking process can be viewed, a restaurant with inside and outside dining areas and a tasting/event room, according to the City of Virginia Beach.
Parking for the Grand Opening Celebration will be available on site and at the Bayside Christian Church, with a shuttle running during the event for guests.
