In the mix at Merchant

Is Gavin Kaysen the George Steinbrenner of local restaurateurs? Since the Bloomington native turned stud NYC chef announced his return to open Merchant in the North Loop, he's been on a talent-stealing rampage, recruiting wine guru Bill Summerville and pastry chef Diane Yang.

Now he's got Robb Jones, soon-to-be-former cocktailer extraordinaire at Saffron in downtown Minneapolis, on board. Jones plans to focus on classics, eschewing obtuse drink names in favor of cocktail styles.

Jones said Nikola Govich — part of a deep talent pool at Eat Street Social — will take his spot at Saffron. Merchant is aiming to open in mid- to late-November, Jones said.

Noble efforts

The beer might be sour, but the reception of Schell's Noble Star Collection has sure been sweet. The knockout Berliner weisse series debuted last summer, earning local and national praise.

Last week Schell's announced the purchase of an 11-acre plot near its New Ulm brewery where it plans to build a 12,000-square-foot facility to house eight refurbished cypress tanks in order to expand production of the popular series. Construction is slated to begin in mid-October.

Eastbound and down

Rejoice, east metro beer lovers. Four Firkins' Oakdale location is officially open for your specialty suds needs.

The veteran St. Louis Park bottle shop opened a second, slightly smaller store last week at 8338 3rd St. N. in the Oakdale Village Shopping Center, near the Woodbury border. Look for an Oct. 11 grand opening party with live music, local breweries and food trucks.

MICHAEL RIETMULDER