In surprise news, David Keck, a master sommelier and partner at Goodnight Hospitality, has resigned from the company and will relocate to Vermont.

Keck made the announcement through a representative Wednesday.

“After over a decade of living and working in the hospitality business in Houston, I have decided to relocate to my home state of Vermont,” read a statement from Keck. “I’m excited to get my hands in the dirt and work on a different side of the beverage business while continuing my own studies. I couldn’t be more proud of the Goodnight Hospitality endeavor, and am very excited for the next steps for both of us. I’m also so impressed with how the sommelier community has grown—and continues to grow—in Houston, and hope to continue that spirit of education and hospitality in a new city.”

Keck's departure comes at a crucial moment for Goodnight, which is one of the city's premiere hospitality companies focusing on food and beverage. In April it'll open March, a fine-dining restaurant above two of its other concepts, wine shop and bar Montrose Cheese & Wine and the Euro-focused Rosie Cannonball, one of Houstonia's best restaurants of 2019.

Those concepts are part of a larger Montrose complex owned by Peter and Bailey McCarthy and run by Goodnight, which also includes the modern-day honky-tonk Goodnight Charlie's. Keck was the visionary behind that concept, and according to a representative, the future of Goodnight Charlie's is under evaluation.

“We wish David the best with his ventures in Vermont,” said Peter McCarthy, who is also a partner at Goodnight with master sommelier June Rodil and chef Felipe Riccio. “He’s been part of the Goodnight Hospitality team since day one, and we’re grateful for all the contributions he made as we built this company.”