Two local sisters aim to open a bar to be called Apéro in downtown Biddeford this fall. Apéro will be located at 20 Alfred St., formerly the home of the Drift & Wander boutique.
The space is less than 1,000 square feet and can seat about 40, including a 10-seat bar, according to co-owner Marie Grasser. Apéro, a new bar on Alfred Street in Biddeford, is expected to open in October. Photo courtesy of Apéro Formerly a wedding planner, Grasser launched Charcutemarie – a business offering custom charcuterie boards for weddings and other events – in late 2020.
Her sister, Sophia Normantas, has managed bars in Massachusetts for the last few years, but recently moved back to Biddeford. “With her moving home, we were like, ‘Let’s combine our talents and build a gathering place,’ ” Grasser explained. “Inside, we’re creating this sort of moody, sexy fun vibe.
Apéro is French and literally means having a charcuterie board and a glass of wine with your friends prior to dinner. We see ourselves as either a pre-dinner spot, or post-dinner where you come in for a drink and perhaps a dessert as well.” Grasser said the menu at Apéro will feature small-plates like charcuterie, crudités and cheese boards, in addition to cakes, cookies and rotating dessert pastries on offer from local bakeries.
Grasser said Normantas is to head up the bar program, with a full array of cocktails, mocktails, beer and wine. “She is creating such a gorgeous and fun menu,” Grasser.