Drawing inspiration from its culturally vibrant and artistic downtown, small business owner Stan Finch seeks to open his fifth painting studio and wine bar on the site of a 2,500-square-foot abandoned bank building at 55 N. Main St. in South Norwalk.
South Norwalk is a coveted place for enlivening the arts and cultural scene, said Finch, who plans to contribute to the aesthetics and tax revenue of the city through his business.
“We”™ve been working on this project since November,” Finch said. “We love the area with its artistic vibe, nearby galleries, arts festivals and buildings with exposed bricks.”
The city”™s zoning department approved the project, and Muse Paintbar awaits a building permit within the next few days to a couple of weeks before starting construction on a several hundred thousand dollar project anticipated to open in late May or early June.
Finch plans to work with Muse Paintbar cofounder and lead artist Vanessa Leigh to create sessions where painters can take a blank canvas and turn it into a Van Gogh-esque work of art. All painting supplies are covered by a $35 to $45 fee per painter, which includes a 16-by-20 canvas, unlimited acrylic paints, brushes, easels, aprons and instruction from one of three-to-six trained local artists to be hired by the time the sessions start.
The idea for Muse Paintbar was conceived by Finch while he attended Harvard Business School. He was involved in entrepreneurial endeavors related to consumer entertainment and e-commerce, and had been working at a retail consulting firm for three years. As he grew passionate about client-facing entrepreneurial projects, he left the corporate scene and started a business he believed would provide a strong customer experience.
“As much fun as it is to increase the profitability of Fortune 500 companies by a little bit more, that”™s not what motivates me,” Finch said. He met Leigh, who has experience showcasing galleries and acting, while searching for a business partner.
Muse Paintbar, which was founded in 2012, has a location in Manchester, N.H., and West Hartford. Two more will open this spring in Providence, R.I., and Portland, Maine.
It hosts groups ranging from bachelorette and birthday parties to work and fundraising events. Its main studio holds 50 people and its private studio accommodates 25. An event calendar is available at musepaintbar.com to schedule sessions.
Despite the paintbar”™s intent to blend in with South Norwalk”™s artistic scene, customers don”™t have to be professional artists or have any experience to attend the art sessions.
“One of the things we consistently hear is ”˜I can”™t believe I was able to paint this because there is no artistic bone in my body,”™” Finch said. “Over half of our customers have never painted or haven”™t painted since grade school.”
To feed peopleӪs muse, the paintbar serves tapas-style dishes, such as mozzarella sticks and hummus platters and full entr̩es. It also sells 12 to 14 different beers and wines.
In the beginning, the paintbar in South Norwalk will be open Thursday to Sunday. After a few months, as it gets more customers, it will open every day of the week.
“We provide therapeutic sessions where people can get completely lost in creating a painting,” Finch said. “It”™s a great alternative to men going out to a sports bar, and it gives women something to do on a girls”™ night out.”
