Filthy Poor Founders to Open Silver Linings Wine Bar on Collingwood's Smith Street

A new wine bar called Silver Linings will open on Smith Street in Collingwood by the end of spring 2026, backed by the co-founders of the Melbourne hospitality creative agency Filthy Poor.

Ben Clark and Simon Auckett are the operators behind the project. The venue will focus on natural wine and charcoal cookery, with music supplied by a vinyl sound system or a guest DJ. It's a compact concept built around three revenue streams — drinks, share plates and atmosphere — rather than a single flagship menu.

The pair have hired Brian MacAlister as executive chef. His résumé includes kitchens at Ynyshir, Cutler & Co and Builders Arms, which signals a serious food program for what the founders describe as a deliberately small room.

What does the venue actually look like?

By the founders' own account, quite intimate. "We're building something small and moody, where the wine, the food and the records all work together to wrap you in a hug," Clark said. "Silver Linings should feel like a great night out: a glass of something good, plates made for sharing, and a record you didn't know you needed to hear. The sort of evening that slips past midnight before you notice."

That framing matters operationally. A small room with share plates and a late-trading pitch leans on wine margins and table turnover after dark, not volume covers. The vinyl-and-DJ setup is a low-cost atmosphere play that replaces a curated playlist with programming the founders hope becomes a draw in itself.

Who are the operators?

Clark and Auckett built their careers across local and global hospitality, working with brands including Soho House, Milk & Honey and NOLA London. Filthy Poor, their Melbourne-based creative agency, is the platform behind the new venture — Silver Linings marks a shift from consulting for other operators to running their own room.

Auckett framed the opening as the culmination of that work. "Silver Linings is the room we have wanted to build for years," he said. "It draws on everything we've learned, good and bad, across many countries and cultures, and it belongs in Melbourne. We'd had our eye on Collingwood for some time, so when this little gem on Smith Street came up, we didn't hesitate."

Why Collingwood, and why now?

Smith Street has become one of Melbourne's tighter hospitality corridors, and the founders say they tracked the location before committing. No lease terms, seat count or opening-menu pricing have been disclosed — those details should surface as the late-spring 2026 opening approaches.

What the project does show is an agency-to-operator pipeline: consultants who've built concepts for Soho House and Milk &; Honey now deploying that playbook on their own account, with a named chef and a defined format. Whether the small-room, late-night model holds will become clear once doors open.