It's nearly impossible to distinguish a single trace of The Foundry on Melrose, chef Eric Greenspan's long-standing New American restaurant and lounge, which"temporarily" shuttered this past spring. Back then reps promised an "exciting new look" from partners Ian Shepp (Key Club), Zach Patterson (Bagatelle), and Austin Melrose (Medusa Lounge, Bagatelle), and later this month The Foundry will be christened as Melrose Umbrella Company, a drinking den from design builder Matt Winter of M Winter Design (41 Ocean), with cocktails authored by Patterson (Julian Cox of Picca and Petty Cash helped out too).
There's even chandeliers in the bathroom at Melrose Umbrella Company, and Winter describes his aesthetic as "a step into European old world design with elements of stone work and beautiful raw architecture." Though you would have never known it from The Foundry's look, the building was erected in 1936 and Winter uncovered its original bones along the way.
The stone seen throughout the lounge, from (three!) fireplaces to the bar, was stripped from a 1920s home, and the rear bar was made from an original apothecary cabinet that dates back to the turn of the century. Winter retrofitted the piece and ran all the beer taps through the original drawers. Other found objects hail from France, Croatia and different parts of the world. Overall, Winter wanted to create a warm atmosphere that feels lived in and comfortable.
As for food and drink, when the adjacent and eternally delayed Greenspan's Grilled Cheese finally opens, patrons will be able to order off that menu. Also, expect affordably priced craft cocktails using custom infusions, fresh juices, local ingredients, all that good stuff.