Local pop-up bars offer immersive holiday experience
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – Holiday pop-up bars are gaining popularity in the Valley. The immersive experience is attracting people to the new trend.
Quaker Steak and Lube in Sharon is ringing in the Christmas season for the second year in a row with a tinsel bar. The pop-up opened a couple of weeks ago and has already been attracting quite a crowd.
“We kind of joke that it’s like Santa’s Workshop exploded in here,” said Philip Hall, with Quaker Steak and Lube. “A lot of people come here for Kraynak’s, but to add a little something extra to the Sharon area and Shenengo Valley from Quaker Steak and Lube to have this little holiday setup here is pretty cool and just a fun little tradition we’ve started.”
It’s gained so much traction this year that they’ve gone even bigger by moving to a different part of the restaurant.
“There was a lot of excitement and people asking to sit in the section with the Christmas decorations last year we went bigger and better and kind of expanded it so that more people can enjoy it this year,” Hall said.
In Mahoning County, Megan Tomich with Riser Tavern and Grill says they’re also seeing more customers come through their doors.
“I work a lot of the day shifts so I see pretty much everybody as soon as they walk in the day after that we did it, and it was just like ‘Oh my goodness.’ It just kind of threw up Christmas and everyone’s been loving it. They’re jolly and they’re happy,” Tomich said.
Riser’s pop-up holiday bar also opened a couple of weeks ago, offering festive drinks like “Merry Margaritas” and “Sugar Cookie Martinis” on top of holiday events like an ugly Christmas sweater party and holiday trivia.
It was all hands on deck to decorate the place, taking about nine hours to transform the space.
“It’s been really big for the community to have more and more people excited about holiday drinks and bringing that in a little earlier for the season,” said Michael Bennett with Riser Tavern and Grill.
Both pop-ups will be open through the holiday season.
