Gather ‘round: Kenwick Table makes space for community

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Emily Giancarlo

Some owners labor over a business plan and seek out a multitude of advice before opening their businesses. Others, like Rett McGoodwin, who opened the Owsley Avenue coffee, wine and cocktail bar Kenwick Table in September 2021, just start with a good idea and figure it out along the way.

His independent streak began 36 years ago when launching his own landscaping business, Rett’s Landscaping. He doesn’t advertise, has zero social media presence and the phone numbers listed on company trucks no longer work. Instead, he relies on existing clients to keep him busy.

This kind of nonconformity has carried forth with Kenwick Table, his most recent venture, which has quickly become a bustling social hub for the eclectic central Lexington neighborhood Kenwick. From neighbors catching up over a glass of wine and music lovers enjoying some live tunes to studying college students and families making a Saturday morning coffee outing, the former market that McGoodwin renovated over the course of two years is brimming with action nearly every hour that it’s open.

McGoodwin has lived in Kenwick for 28 years and currently resides next door to the property that now houses Kenwick Table. He bought the building, a former market that was in disrepair at the time of purchase, with the intent to fix it up and lease it out, but in month 16 of what became 20 months of renovation work, he realized he couldn’t let go of the building he’d meticulously renovated to his own tastes.

After a trip out West where he frequented an establishment that had a big centerpiece community table for patrons to drink and dine together, he was inspired to bring the concept to Kenwick Table to further the neighborhood vibe.

“I love this community, so the idea of the community table and the idea of creating a cool space for the community — that was really important,” he said.

McGoodwin doesn’t even particularly care for the bar’s big four beverages — coffee, wine, bourbon and beer. But he recognizes coffee as a conduit to bring people together, and has assembled knowledgeable, friendly baristas and quality coffee beans to make coffees and coffee-based beverages, some of which are named for nearby streets. Nowhere near a sommelier himself, he asked his girlfriend, Patricia Ehrkamp, to put together a wine list.

Lee Carroll, a neighbor and seasoned veteran of the local music scene, observed McGoodwin’s progress with great curiosity. He’d pop in from time to time to see how things were shaping up and eventually became the first performer to play at Kenwick Table when it opened its doors. Now he plays regularly with his jazz group, Lee Carroll Trio.

Carroll occasionally suggests different artists who might also play there, as the bar has become a destination for musicians and music lovers with open mic nights, jazz nights and weekend acts.

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Emily Giancarlo

McGoodwin said staff at Kenwick Table and general manager Savannah Cox have been wonderful at managing people since the start.

And with the personnel side running smoothly, another piece of the puzzle has been to use local vendors — Martine’s Pastries supplies cakes, pastries, and more recently, croissants, and Selma’s Catering provides savory creations.

Art adorning the walls was created by local artists and photographers, including some from McGoodwin’s mother and others by a good friend, Mitch Curd.

And since McGoodwin is a landscaper by trade, he’s considering the grounds of Kenwick Table to be a blank canvas, so to speak — developing it gradually as ideas and time allow. The recent addition of charcuterie has been a big win, and a suggestion by his daughter, Hannah McGoodwin, to offer s’mores boards with all the fixings has also been a hit. (The popular Lincoln Lavender Latte, a latte with lavender syrup and honey, was also her idea.)

“We’re always open to suggestions,” he said. “It’s a very community-driven business, so we’re listening.”

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Emily Giancarlo

Offering a range of libations and spaces, Kenwick Table has become a go-to spot to study or work over coffee or to hear live music in the evenings.

Some patrons suggested that Kenwick Table adjust its Sunday hours, and McGoodwin took that advice, for example.

McGoodwin said Rick Fromm, who lives four doors down from the shop, could be considered his most loyal patron.

“I try not to go in any more than twice a day,” Fromm said with a laugh. He said he enjoys stopping by early for his first morning cup, watching as the world wakes up and trickles in to join him.

Fromm said he remembers the impression he had when he walked in for the first time when Kenwick Table was completed.

“Just like, ‘Holy cow, Rett!’” he said. “The architecture, the materials, the design of the inside — everything was just top drawer.”

Fromm has watched as Kenwick Table has grown organically, crediting that growth to providing quality products to a diverse group of customers in a beautiful setting.

“It’s been great for the neighborhood,” he said. “It’s just neat. It’s a great way to meet new neighbors and neighbors who may be a couple of houses away who you haven’t really gotten the chance to know — it’s a really social spot.”