The toast of Askew Road

Friday March 12, 2010

ASKEW Road regulars are toasting the return of a familiar face to Askew Road this week - and also popping the cork on a whole new world of wines.

The recently closed Wine Rack reopens on Thursday as independent wine shop AskeWine, with longtime manager Mohamed Mallek at the helm.

Mallek, 42, who has run the site since 1993 under different owners, said the shop prided itself on sourcing more unusual wines and would have more freedom than its predecessors to find specific wines requested by customers.

"We have invested a lot of time in choosing the wines, and I think we've done well in sourcing from smaller producers," he said.

"We have cherry-picked more than 50 per cent of the wine in the shop. We will keep some of the good wines that were selling well before, like the Villa Marias, Oyster Bays and Cloudy Bays, but the most exciting thing is the new wines from small producers.

"And we can change our wine at any time, so if people want something different it would be our pleasure to try and find it for them."

The new-look shop offers free local delivery for six wine bottles or more, as well as regular tastings and glass hire for parties.

Mallek added: "I'm trying to keep prices very competitive with the supermarkets. But I think the big difference will be that we know the trade and local people."

The shop manager, originally from Tunisia, lives above the premises with his wife Samia and sons Adam, 12, and Hichem, nine.

He said he had watched the site change names and owners four times since becoming manager in 1993.

The shop closed as a Wine Rack on December 16 last year after parent company Thresher sank into administration, and Mallek was suddenly faced with losing everything - including his home.

"We knew for a few months that things were not going well, and one of my thoughts was 'I'm going to lose my job and my home at the same time'," he said.

"It was a profitable shop and I wanted to carry on. But they closed and asked me to leave the flat."

Mallek's customers and neighbours had other ideas, however, and the popular local character was soon inundated with offers of help.

"Every day I was going through lots of different emotions, but the amount of support we received was amazing and beyond my imagination and expectations," he said.

Neighbours helped Mallek submit a sealed bid to take over the site, organising everything from a surveyor to a bank loan and references.

"We heard on December 18 that our bid had been accepted and it was such a great feeling," Mallek said. "When things like that happen, people do come to help you.

"Some people even had an empty first-floor of their flat and said to me, 'If things get worse just move in'."

Long-term customer Steve Hicks, of Rylett Road, has also been instrumental in setting up AskeWine, helping with the new branding, logo and in-store displays.

Steve said: "Even in the age of big shopping centres, I think there is room for this kind of individuality."

AskeWine will have open evenings on March 11, 12 and 13 with wine tastings and food to welcome customers back.

Call the shop on 020 8746 1585.