Real estate developer Nasser Freres has signed a retail lease with Lifted Spirits, a new boutique wine and spirits shop, to occupy approximately 3,000 square feet of ground-floor space at The Greyson, a 622-residence luxury rental tower in Jersey City’s Journal Square neighborhood.
Founded by veteran New York City hospitality professionals Greg Cochran and Stephen Denaro, Lifted Spirits will feature a curated collection of Old World wines, premium spirits, and interactive educational programming. The shop is scheduled to open along the newly established, pedestrian-only Homestead Place corridor in late 2026 or early 2027.
Co-founders Cochran and Denaro bring nearly two decades of combined food, beverage, and sommelier experience to the venture.
Cochran, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and an alumnus of Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World Wine School, previously served as General Manager at Shukette, Great Jones Distilling Co., and Murray’s Cheese. Denaro, a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and also a CIA graduate, led beverage programs for Daniel Boulud’s Le Gratin and Centurion NY.
At Lifted Spirits, the pair plans to offer bottles spanning $15 to $100, focusing on authentic varietal expressions from traditional winemaking regions. The space will also host community classes on wine theory, viticulture, and aroma training, alongside curated tastings and potential resident programming for The Greyson.
“Our goal is to create a neighborhood destination where people at every level of knowledge can discover great wine and spirits, ask questions, and learn,” Cochran said. “We want the wines we carry to be true expressions of where they come from while making that experience approachable to anyone who walks through the door.”
Lifted Spirits will sit directly on Homestead Place, a car-free walkway designed to connect the Journal Square PATH station at Pavonia Avenue with Newark Avenue.
“Greg and Stephen are bringing a level of expertise, hospitality, and programming that makes Lifted Spirits an ideal addition to The Greyson and to Journal Square,” Michael Sokoloff, partner at Nasser Freres said. “We’ve always viewed the ground-floor retail as an important part of creating an active, connected community at The Greyson. Lifted Spirits will serve our residents while also becoming a destination for the broader neighborhood.”
Designed by Handel Architects, The Greyson is a 25-story luxury residential development located at 25 Cottage Street. The building features studio to three-bedroom rental residences, an extensive indoor and outdoor amenity suite, and a 29th-floor rooftop pool deck overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Leasing for the property is handled exclusively by The Marketing Directors.
