The Hour, an Alexandria cocktail shop that sells vintage barware and glassware, is closing after 15 years.
Owner Victoria Vergason started the store at 1015 King St. when her youngest children, a set of triplets, started grade school.
“It was always my plan to close my doors when they graduated from college,” Vergason says. “Since they are graduating this spring, it’s time for me to have some fun and travel and visit them wherever they might end up.”
While there’s not a definite date for the shop’s closure, it could be as soon as the end of November. As of Friday, everything will be discounted 40 percent in the store and online.
“I decided to have my closing sale now, instead of waiting until the spring, so that my customers could buy gifts for the upcoming holiday season at great prices,” Vergason says.
“When all my inventory is sold, I will close the store to the public and my inventory will no longer be available online.”
The Hour is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and local pickups of items purchased online may be made between 1 and 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Amassing a Collection
Vergason has selectively been collecting 20th-century vintage items from antique markets, estate sales, and at auctions for more than 25 years, and has amassed more than 10,000 vintage cocktail items from known manufacturers. The collections include everything from Collins and cordial glasses to wine glasses and goblets. Additionally, The Hour has cocktail shakers, pitchers, decanters, ice buckets, bowls, and trays. Ten years ago, Vergason put all of her inventory online.
“We opened our doors to the public last weekend and have already sold roughly 25 percent of our inventory,” she says. “Because I spent the COVID years placing all of my inventory online, the process of closing has been going very smoothly. Access to all the store’s inventory has also been fair to both my local and out-of-state customers as well.”
The Hour is named for Bernard DeVoto’s 1951 book, The Hour: A Cocktail Manifesto, and its products are “one-of-a-kind items,” Vergason says.
She says the sale has some “great deals … especially our silverplate cocktails shakers and bar tools. Many of those I picked up in Europe. Our punch bowl sets are also a real deal. With many of these sets, you can use the glasses for your personal cocktails as well as serve your guests punch when you entertain large groups at home.”
What to Look for in Vintages Cocktail Glassware
Asked what advice she would give for those looking to buy vintage cocktail glasses, Vergason says to look for quality.
“It’s hard to find large sets of vintage glassware or barware anymore and, more often than not, the condition of the vintage items can be poor. In particular, modern-day dishwashers and dishwasher detergents can wreak havoc on vintage glassware,” she says.
Ask lots of questions and make sure you know what you are buying.
“Most importantly, buy what you love. The experience of drinking out of a vintage glass or using a piece of vintage barware to create a cocktail can bring such joy!”
What Happens to the Store?
While The Hour is closing, Vergason, who owns the King Street property, will use the location to operate her wholesale business, The Modern Home Bar, which sells barware and glassware. As part of that business, Vergason, who loves the artistry of a good cocktail, designs collections of artisan drinking glasses with a midcentury vibe. The Modern Home Bar’s products are found in about 300 stores nationwide and in Canada.
“I am keeping all of my bar carts, furniture, and art work so that I can continue to dress up my storefront windows with my wholesale designs. While the wholesale store will not be open to the public, the building will not sit empty or be an eyesore on King Street,” she says.
Vergason says she feels blessed to have been able to share her knowledge and help customers create their own stylish bars at home. “My celebration of The Hour’s closing will be quiet with family, friends, and employees. It will likely be a cocktail party here at the store raising a vintage glass and toasting all of The Hour’s success. It’s a store that many will never forget.”
Feature image courtesy Victoria Vergason
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