Like the waning days of summer, time is almost up for Tiki Bar Del Ray on Mount Vernon Avenue.
After a nearly nine-month run, which was longer than expected, the pop-up at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue will officially close its doors on Saturday, September 24, and reemerge as the Halloween-themed “Nightmare On The Avenue” in the first week of October.
“Come on in now to get all your festive Tiki lays and drinks and to get your fill of the Polynesian fantasy culture that we created,” Tiki Bar Del Ray co-owner Bill Blackburn told ALXnow. “Who doesn’t love a Tiki bar? It’s sad to close it, but the whole idea was that this is a flexible space and we’re gonna keep making it fresh.”
Last year, Blackburn and his partner “Mango” Mike Anderson of the Homegrown Restaurant Group, closed the The Sushi Bar and converted it into the Christmas-themed pop-up bar Joy On The Avenue.
The pop-up is situated between their other restaurants on Mount Vernon Avenue – Pork Barrel BBQ and Holy Cow Del Ray.
Anderson said that his team is working on redecorating the space and creating a “unique and tasty” menu of spirits, cocktails and food.
“The pop-ups have been a lot of fun,” Anderson said. “They’ve been well received, but we need something that’s got a little more staying power and a little more desire for the neighborhood.”
The Christmas theme will return after Halloween, Anderson said, adding that he and Blackburn hope to iron out a final concept for the space by next spring.
