CAMDEN — First Fig, a neighborhood wine shop and bar at 31 Elm Street, has opened for business, Wednesday through Saturday 12-7 p.m.

Tucked into a welcoming old storefront adjacent to the Camden Opera House, First Fig’s offerings include a retail wine shop, wine by the glass, Guinness, Kavka coffee, tea and other non-alcoholic beverages.

Fresh bread from Brazen Baking Company (Wednesdays and Fridays) and pastries from the Place Bakery (Saturdays) are regularly available. A simple bar menu includes chicken liver mousse and tinned fish.

Look for outdoor seating in the garden in warmer months, as well as events with winemakers, authors, artists, politicians and chefs, according to a news release from First Fig.

Owner Joanna Spinks handpicks the dynamic wine selection, championing small family producers, honest winemaking practices and affordability.

Spinks is a dual Irish-American citizen with two decades in food and wine and an established presence in the Midcoast. She specializes in assembling unique personalized cases and meeting local wine needs for all types of occasions. But above all, the shop serves as a meeting place.

“It is a privilege to serve this community and it’s my belief that a relaxed meeting place fosters healthy conversation and advances democracy,” she said. “Coffee and wine are just a plus – a framework for human connection.”

First Fig takes its name from the poem by local poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, capturing spirit of resistance and uncompromising sophistication.

On Saturday March 9, at 5:30 p.m., First Fig will host a reception prior to the Camden Opera House’s screening of The Usual Suspects with live Q&A by Irish actor Gabriel Byrne, a fundraising event for Finding Our Voices.

The reception is open to the public and a portion of sales will benefit Finding Our Voices to support survivors of domestic violence.