NEW PARIS — New Paris celebrated the opening of the new Cedar Wine Bar on Saturday, July 22, with a ribbon cutting and grand opening event which included live music and more for the new addition at the Cedar Coffee located at 550 S. Washington Street in the village.

Chris Reke, president of the New Paris Chamber of Commerce, spoke briefly prior to local band The Flannels taking the stage.

“I am here to celebrate the ribbon cutting ceremony that we had earlier with the new Cedar Wine Bar. We’re very excited to have them as part of the new New Paris nightlife on the weekends. It’s something that everybody around here has been asking for. And we’re really excited to have it because this really does make it so that you can eat, play, shop and stay — we call it ‘Destination Unique’ and that really does help with that. So we’re very excited to have the Cedar Wine here and everybody to kind of come out and enjoy what they have to offer.”

“I am the owner of the Cedar here and we’re just excited. We’re thrilled to be here and welcome everybody here tonight as our grand opening,” Cedar Wine owner Gerald Brubaker said. “We started off with coffee then we opened up the wine bar, but I have to say it. There’s a lot of work that went into it,” Brubaker shared of the journey to get to the Cedar Wine’s opening. “Everything you have tonight with the wine is actually produced right here on site. And it’s a great wine.”

The wine, Runaway Vine, is being produced on site by Runaway Vine winery owners Adam Melton, Melissa Holly and Ben Ritchie.

“As Gerald said, we operate out of the same building and it’s a really good time. It’s lovely to have a place you know, so close to give the good stuff to, and we have a great time,” Ritchie said.

Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on Twitter @emowenjr.