Sneak Peek: Beauty Bar Brooklyn
by Andrea RosenArticle Tools
The Jetsons-chic Beauty Bar introduced Manhattan to the cocktail & manicure combo fourteen years ago. Then they introduced it to LA, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego and Austin. The seventh iteration is a return to New York--outerborough-style: they've taken over the old location of Brooklyn dive Under the J, which is, of course, under the J train overpass in Bushwick. Why Bushwick? "Why not?" says owner Paul Devitt. Indeed, the neighborhood could use some Beauty--the bar adds a much-needed shot of color to an otherwise dreary strip of Broadway. Check out our sneak peek of the space below and see it for yourself on Friday and Saturday, when Green Shoelace hosts the grand opening weekend. And remember: pick out your polish color before you start drinking. I once thought poo-brown nails were a good idea three cocktails deep at the East Village location. Photos by Adam Au; click to enlarge
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- The seating: Beauty's signature dryer chairs are salvaged from different salons for each opening. These cushiony red seats were purchased from a shuttered beauty parlor in Lancaster, PA.
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- The signage: The inside of the bar masquerades as the "Powder Puff Beauty Shop." The sign was taken from the real Powder Puff in Kutztown, PA (should we be worried about the throwback hair salon industry in Pennsylvania?).
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- The bar: Under the J's bar got a white and powder blue paint job and the mirrors and shelves behind it are hairdresser's stations from the salon in Lancaster.
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- The paint job: Devitt's trusty designer Garry Hayes executed their vision of a 70s time warp by covering the walls in technicolor stripes and dousing the wet paint with glitter. Hayes has designed all seven Beauty Bars and each has a unique look. His favorite? This one, though the desert-themed Austin location is a close runner-up.
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- The rear: The back of the house may be far from the DJ booth, but it's right next to the...kitchen? Yup, under New York's new mandate that new liquor license holders must serve food, Beauty Bar will be serving up snacky fare like hot dogs and empanadas.
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- The details: Even the fixtures are in theme: the hanging lights over the bar are vintage home hairdryers.
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- The music: Nightly DJs will be perched at a window in the front, by Hayes' mural of bubbleheaded disco sweethearts.
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- The commodes: Beauty Bar smartly added a second ladies' room, making Devitt a hero to women across Brooklyn.
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