Bevy

To highlight a few of the aspects I touched on last month we are going to take a closer look at one of my all time favorite bar spaces Bevy, owned and designed by my mentor, master mixologist Christian Self and his business partner and DJ Timo Lee.

 
​Their collaboration at Bevy is one of the magical aspects that this cocktail bar provides. Christian is the cocktail magician and Timo is deeply rooted in the local music scene here in Honolulu so on weekend and evenings she brings the musicians and on the day to day she takes care of HR. They also support the local art scene by exhibiting local artists with changing wall murals and art showcases. Christian and Timo searched for a long time before choosing the location on Keawe and Awahi St. When Bevy first opened it was surrounded by construction sites and closing down businesses. Though a challenge, Bevy established itself as not only one of the first successful cocktail bars in the state but also as one of the flagship business that anchor Kakaako, so other businesses could join in to create a cohesive neighborhood for the condos going up. Now five years later we can see the brilliance in taking that location. 

The overall design at Bevy is reminiscent of a cocktail bar in Seattle or San Francisco, it’s sophisticated, linear and simple. The dark floor and furniture choices highlight the cool Edison lightbulb features as well as the murals and the art work. The hand-built tables out of wine boxes are aesthetically pleasing with just enough natural warmth and functional as they can be put together or taken apart as needed. The long seating which was repurposed by a utilizing a custom denim cover made from actual jeans with pockets still intact enable guests to leave love notes for the next guest is a one of a kind, comfortable and effective for tables of two to a huge long table of twenty. 
A few other gems that Christian used in his design of Bevy include using sustainable practices, both in the day to day but also in the build. Many of the raw materials were from reUse hawaii and were repurposed including the wood for under and in front of the bar top and the unique bathroom divider made of glass and wood. 

Bar Shelves 
Clean and neat with plent y of room and strong enough to hang from, the bar shelves were definitely designed by a bartender. Even when the construction next door consisted of pile driving, those shelfs stayed strong and true.

Service well 
The set-up is mirrored on both sides, both front and back, under counter refrigerators and mirrored liquor on the shelves. This means bartenders are not constantly crossing over or behind their coworkers, thereby efficiently using the limited space. Also notice the service well is tucked away and protected from guests or crowds allowing the cocktail server ample space to pick up their drinks and head back out. 

Bathroom space 
Thought tight, instead of leaving the bathroom area open to the bar, a unique glass wall separates the bathroom entries from the common area. This provides privacy and a way to keep the bathroom line out of the way on busy nights. To make this possible sliding barn doors were used. Also, the chalkboard painted walls in the bathroom allow patrons to draw and interact with one another and a creative way for those looking for free advertisement. Pull up #bevybathroom on your social media and you will see 
hundreds Also, the chalkboard painted walls in the bathroom allow patrons to draw and interact with one another and a creative way for those looking for free advertisement. of posts!
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These are just a few of the ways that Christian and Timo created an amazing one of a kind cocktail bar at Bevy here in Honolulu. If you haven’t been go by and try their epic happy hour or one of their amazing cocktails. Look for us next month as we get deeper in to the steps of design and highlight another local establishment to check out !