Oakwood Pizza Box's owner will open a wine shop and bar at Raleigh Iron Works

The latest: Saint-Pierre is borne out of Guerra and his wife Brett's penchant for stocking a diverse grouping of wines to pair with Oakwood's pizza.

• It will join a growing roster of local businesses at Raleigh Iron Works, including Eastcut Sandwich Bar, Scott Crawford's Brodeto, the plant store Urban Pothos and record shop Hunky Dory.

Zoom in: Guerra opened Oakwood Pizza Box on North Person Street in 2017. Before that, he worked at several fine dining establishments around the Triangle, including Crawford & Son, and described himself as a "struggling wine professional."

• To him, Oakwood has always been as much of a "love letter to wine" as it is a pizza place. It offers great bottles at what he hopes is a discount price compared to many fine dining institutions.
• He's hoping Saint-Pierre can build on that love for wine and create a third space around it, giving Raleighites a different sort of place to gather in the afternoon and evening, whether it's for a business meeting or a pre-dinner glass.

What they're saying: "There are lot of wines sitting in [Oakwood Pizza Box] that we would be drinking, but you can't get a seat at Oakwood," Guerra said, noting how small the existing pizza shop is.

• Saint-Pierre is "giving a home" to that love for wine, while "keeping Oakwood wild and what it is."