Bar Nana Opening

Bar Nana Opening
Kyle Hotchkiss-Carone, Samantha Wasser Tell me about how the concept formed. I've known the space forever. The first idea was just to do a refresh of Double Seven. Lighten it up, but keep the name, keep everything the same. I kind of had to fight with them a bit, and say "no, if we're going to do this we have to change the name and give it a new identity." So we went from doing a refresh to doing a re-branding and changed the name. It's still a space that people know. It's a familiar space, but it's updated, the menu, the cocktails; there are a few nods to the old space but a lot of it is born of something new. What does it mean to be a part of this overhaul of Meatpacking District nightlife? Obviously the Meatpacking District had its little moment, and it kind of saturated and became too much of a club zone. It's an amazing neighborhood, this beautiful block with the Highline right over there, the Whitney opening a year from now, and obviously The Standard, which is amazing because so much of our clientele crosses over, so for me its perfect. It's always been great, but it kind of lost its way for a moment. But I love it; I love the idea of a Meatpacking District lounge. That's the beauty of it: it's been here. I like the idea of taking a place that has been here since the late '90s and injecting it with something new. [Kyle Hotchkiss-Carone, Samantha Wasser] Dean Winters, David Rabin [Dean Winters, David Rabin] There's a lot of diversity among the owners. Combined, you've all been a part of every type of hospitality and nightlife company. How does that reflect in the bar? The idea is that we have so many mutual friends, but they span this very wide age bracket. Maybe David [Rabin's] friends are leaving at 1, but my friends are coming in at 1. The idea is that there shouldn't be one particular demographic. It's all about creating that mix, so if we can do that across the age spectrum, that would be great. I might know an assistant at Vogue, and he might know an editor, so combining those people creates a really fun place where this crosses. How did the name come about? It's the name of an Emile Zola book. It's about a streetwalker in Paris that ascends to fame, and is the toast of Paris society. That's the French side, and it's also the name of a brothel in Punta del Este which is the South American side. The whole thing with Bar Nana is that it's a classically French lounge with South American accents in the food, cocktails, and decor. [Photos courtesy of Angela Pham/BFA]
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