Unique new Fall River restaurant a nod to Prohibition era and city's industrial past

FALL RIVER — The countdown is on for the debut of a new city restaurant and lounge with a unique concept.

Counting House, coming this month to 405 Pleasant St., is described as "a nod to Prohibition," said owners Tina Soscia and Brian Corey.

But there's no need to head underground to immerse yourself in a turn-of-the-century speakeasy experience. This gem will be hiding in plain sight.

Part of the Durfee-Union Mills complex, Counting House invites you to toss back its creative libations and tasty tapas-style eats in an intimate setting that's a throwback to the Spindle City's past.

"There's so much Fall River history in there," Soscia said.

Paying homage to Fall River's past

Durfee Mills, located at 359-479 Pleasant St., was established in 1861, and at the height of its 70 years of operation it had 109,360 spindles and produced over 23 million yards of cotton cloth annually.

Along with the adjacent Union Mills, the complex is now occupied by a variety of businesses — among them PrimaCare Medical Center, General Fitness and 99 Restaurant — and is known as the Durfee-Union Mills. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The new restaurant's name itself, Counting House, is a nod to the building's history.

In the late 1800s/early 1900s, the freestanding granite Pleasant Street building served as the counting house for workers in the Durfee mills. According to Soscia, roughly 25,000-plus employees came through there weekly, each section of the mill a different day, to get paid.

Their vault, which now serves mostly as a showpiece and holds the restaurant's high-end alcohol, at one time held all the money for payments to workers in the textile mill complex.

Now this Counting House will serve as a different kind of gathering place.

Passion project for local pair

Soscia is also the founder of T. Kitchen and Bath, which did all the design work on the Pleasant Street site and will have an office on the second floor of the building.

The Cranston, Rhode Island, resident attended a culinary high school, and has previously worked as a cook at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, where she crafted the menu.

Her partner Brian Corey, a Fall River native with a law office in Westport, is co-owner of Westport-based Farm Coast Distillery.

Now the couple will be combining all their talents into one endeavor.

According to Soscia, opening a restaurant had been on her bucket list for a while, and now was just the perfect time.

Soscia will largely serve as catering and special events coordinator, with Corey managing the bar and day-to-day operations at the restaurant.

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Evolution from office to lounge

The transformation from 19th century office space — most recently a tax office — to 21st century upscale lounge included extensive renovations over the past year.

In an attempt to modernize and open up the space, it was out with the old and in with the new. They ditched old rugs, took down the drop ceilings and gaslight fixtures and hung chandeliers.

But the pair still kept some features as an homage to the building's past, from the original doors, to moulding around the windows and original wood floors at the front entryway.

The 3,500-square-foot space features a bar with 30 seats, high tops, three lounge areas with jewel-toned couches and chairs, gold chandeliers, and white marble tops for the tables and bar.

"We wanted to stick with that upscale, loungey vibe," she said.

The vault, located in the middle of the main room, will be the feature wall of their U-shaped bar. While patrons are sitting at the bar, they'll be facing the open vault, inside which hangs a chandelier and houses their bottled higher-end wines and champagnes.

Outside you'll also find a fenced-in patio area in the front courtyard, where there will be seating, a space for live entertainment and a small, pop-up bar.

"It kind of takes you away from being on that main road," she said.

What's on the menu

The Counting House menu will draw on cultural influences from the region, with an emphasis on Portuguese and Italian inspired small, shareable plates — from charcuterie boards to dips, cheese boards and dessert boards.

Fare will feature classic dishes "kicked up a bit," Soscia said.

Portuguese marinated pork sliders — a mini version of the bifana sandwich — tenderloin crostini with portobello mushrooms, and four-cheese baked gnocchi are just a sampling of eats you can expect there.

According to Soscia, their goal is to utilize as many local products as they can — such as bread from Fall River-area bakeries — with a menu that will change seasonally.

Counting House will also host a regular Sunday brunch, as well as a themed brunch once a month, in addition to live entertainment for brunches and on the weekends.

But the spotlight is really on their drinks.

"We're going to focus a lot on the alcohol and pairing the menu items to go along with that," Soscia said.

You can count on plenty of craft cocktails, a big mocktail menu, array of espresso martinis, as well as Nitro coffee on tap.

A gathering place day or night

The mission, Soscia says, is for Counting House to be a place where you can go anytime.

Not just for dinner, but "you can go meet up and grab a drink with friends, and there will always be something for you to snack on,"she said.

That includes a great late-night bar menu with "lots of different exciting options," such as personal charcuterie cups, their signature bacon bourbon popcorn, housemade pickles, and gourmet ice cream sandwiches.

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Members-only perks

In addition to its daily selection of cocktails and cuisine available to all, the Counting House will also be serving up members-only perks.

According to Soscia, they plan to offer a liquor locker program where you can purchase a yearly membership to store your bottles in a private room which only owners will have access to, as well as other exclusive offerings.

That includes access to their private room, which can host events, purchasing alcohol at cost plus a percentage, an invite to their annual locker party, wine/alcohol tastings throughout the year where you can buy directly from distributors, and precedence for reservations.

Cost ranges from $300 a year for a personal box and $500 for a corporate box.

'Everyone wants to work there'

According to Soscia, the Pleasant Street spot has drummed up quite a bit of excitement since the project was announced from locals eager to get a taste to those looking to help get it off the ground. She said roughly 200 people applied to work there.

"It already has such a good, welcoming vibe," she said. "We are very excited already with the huge turnout, with everyone who wants to work there and people who are stopping by … we are welcoming all of it."

When can we visit?

According to Soscia, they are now in the home stretch as they put finishing touches on Counting House ahead of its anticipated debut, originally slated for end of May. There is no opening date set as of now, but she said it should be "a few weeks out." Check the Counting House's Facebook page for updates on opening plans.

Once doors are open, hours will be 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., with brunches held at noon on Sundays.

The building is wheelchair-accessible with a ramp, and there is plenty of parking in the mills complex.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River's Counting House restaurant pays homage to Prohibition