Boutique Bottle Shop Fronts Secret Cocktail Spot

Creators of industry-leaders like Born & Raised and Polite Provisions have launched their latest offering, Raised by Wolves, in Westfield UTC. If it seems an unlikely place for the hospitality group, CH Projects co-founder Arsalun Tafazoli says the choice to go into the mall is a continuation of their mission to contribute to the development of local communities, just as their other projects, including Neighborhood in the East Village and Little Italy’s Craft & Commerce, have helped to kickstart the progression of their respective areas.

UTC also provides CH Projects with the ability to pair one of their detail-oriented drinking spots with a first foray into retail by finally giving fans of their establishments the opportunity to purchase the fundamentals of the group’s signature bar experience, crafted at this location by partners Anthony Schmidt, Erick Castro, and Chris Patino.

Situated in the mall’s main dining district known as The Pointe, Raised by Wolves was designed by Paul Basile of Basile Studio in French Nouveau style circa the 19th century. Filled with ornate cabinetry, the store stocks a select array of spirits, priced from $20 up to $20,000 for the rarest bottles, as well as other essential bar supplies ranging from books to glassware; an online store is also in the works.

The reservations-highly-suggested cocktail bar is accessed by a rotating platform, flanked by fireplaces, that swings into the oak-clad, library-like space. It’s centered around a custom gazebo structure, where a circular bar sits under a canopy of light panels that brighten and dim throughout the night. Starting at $9 and rising upwards to a stiff $790 for an old fashioned made with 1960s vintage Very Old Fitzgerald 8 Year Bourbon, the drinks range from reimagined classics to CH bar favorites; printed cards listing the cocktails’ components will be available for subsequent shopping in the boutique. The bar also plans on hosting educational classes, pop-ups, and guest bartender sessions.