bottle bank

Houston's oldest wine storage facility for cherished collections announces new ownership

Facilities like Vino Vault provide an alternative to a large home cellar.

Photo by JPM Real Estate Photography

The Bayou City's oldest wine storage facility has new ownership. Vino Vault recently acquired Houston Wine Cellar.

Founded in 1993, Gigi and Brad White acquired Houston Wine Cellar in 2001. Like other, similar concepts, the facility provides wine collectors with individual lockers of climate-controlled storage for their most treasured vintages. Despite the name, it should not be confused with Vault & Vino, a wine storage facility and event space in Montrose.

“We are thankful to the Houston wine community for their trust over the past two decades,” Gigi White said in a statement. “Houston Wine Cellar was the first storage facility in the state of Texas and for almost thirty years we have been relied on by our clients to care for their cherished wine collections. While we will certainly miss the community we built, we know our clients are in good hands with Vino Vault who is committed to continuing our excellence.”

Vino Vault touts the acquisition as an opportunity for customers to take advantage of upgraded services such as organizing and analyzing collections and "turnkey auction management services."

"Having served the Houston area for decades, Gigi and Brad White have built a highly regarded reputation in the wine storage space,” Vino Vault CEO Jeff Anthony added. “Houston Wine Cellar is home to a community that brings together wine novices, serious collectors, and general enthusiasts alike; we are looking forward to continuing to provide that same level of personalized service within the Vino Vault portfolio."

Founded in 2021, Vino Vault already has locations in Los Angeles, New York, and Denver. Houston is its second Texas facility, joining one in Dallas.

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lumpia lost

Guy Fieri-loved Filipino restaurant closes in the Heights after 6 years

Courtesy of Be More Pacific

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A pioneering Houston Filipino restaurant has served its last meal. Be More Pacific is closed as of Tuesday, March 31, the restaurant announced on Instagram.

The note traces the restaurant’s evolution from an Austin food truck to an Austin restaurant and eventually to a Houston location.

“To our guests, friends, and community — thank you. Thank you for the support, the Kamayan feasts, the celebrations, the halo-halo summers, the karaoke parties, and for letting us share a piece of our culture with you,” the note reads in part. “You helped make Filipino food part of the conversation, and we’re incredibly proud of that.”

The Houston location opened in 2020. It distinguished itself with its stylish layout that includes an indoor-outdoor bar, a spacious patio, and karaoke rooms. At the time, founders Giovan Cuchapin and Mark Pascual teamed up with Houston hospitality veteran Roveen Abante (Conservatory Gallery, among others) to bring the Houston location to life. Abante referred all questions about the closure to Cuchapin, who has yet to respond to CultureMap’s request for comment.

When it opened, the restaurant quickly earned a following for its flavorful Filipino fare, including signature items such as lumpia, garlic fried rice, and chicken adobo. Groups could order a kamaya feast built around proteins such as roast pork or whole snapper.

Guy Fieri featured Be More Pacific on a 2021 episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. In this clip, he samples the restaurant’s kare kare, a curry made with brisket.

Be More Pacific was among the first ambitious Asian restaurants to open in the Heights. While it may have closed, its legacy lives on with concepts such as JŪN and Agnes and Sherman, both of which earned finalist nominations in the 2026 James Beard Awards.

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