24-03-2025
Melancholy, new Salt Lake City wine bar, serves vintage charm
At Melancholy, one of Salt Lake City's newest wine bars, patrons can enjoy their sips surrounded by antiques and junkyard discoveries that tell their own stories.
State of play: Fallan Keyser, who owned the now-closed bar Good Grammar, and Shaleen Bishop, a former set designer for films, music videos and commercials, teamed up last year to open the dark and brooding bar.
The original plan was to open a coffee shop, but they switched gears after stumbling upon the two-story building at 556 Gale St.
"This has to be a wine bar," Keyser thought at the time.
The intrigue: While the 1,000-square-foot bar situated in the trendy Post District may seem new like much of its surroundings, the building has been standing for at least a century, Keyser noted.
Most materials used to decorate the bar are refurbished, or "up-cycled" as she calls it.
Notable pieces include post office boxes in front of the bar that were intended for the TV show "Yellowstone" and a retro radio that was featured in a Backseat Lovers music video.
The vibe: Keyser described the bar as "granny chic," while Bishop said she wanted the bar to feel as cozy as putting on sweatpants after a long work day.
The establishment currently hosts a book club and has partnered with the neighboring Dangerous Pretzel shop. There are also plans to hold wine-tasting classes.
The menu: The bar serves wine varieties from all over the world that you may not find at your local liquor store, along with cocktails, beer and zero-proof beverages.
The latest: Melancholy released its new spring menu last week.
What's next: As warmer weather arrives, Keyser and Bishop plan to add outdoor patio seating with firepits that will significantly expand the bar's 50-person capacity.
