Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
When restaurateurs Dave and Kara Bailey unveiled their newest endeavor, Pop Sparkling Bar & Restaurant, in January, they did it right in the middle of dinner service. As invited guests stared in amazement, staff tore down curtains, reset tables, hung new art on the walls, and brought out the bubbly.
The delight surrounding Pop’s surprise debut was fitting: Every aspect of the establishment, from the menu to the décor, is meant to evoke a sense of joy and fun.
It’s almost impossible to miss the showstopping floral wallpaper in the front room of the restaurant. Based on Andy Warhol’s 1964 Flowers series, it was made to order by Brooklyn-based Flavor Paper.
The Pop Art–inspired wallpaper was Dave’s only must-have for the décor. The rest of Pop’s elegant design was spearheaded by Kara, although she says it was a collaborative effort.
Pop’s design features an aptly chosen color palette of “Champagne-y colors and rosés,” she says. From the colorful pillows on the banquette to the flowers on each table to the pink ombré wall, carefully planned pops of color stand out against the dark furniture and muted background colors.
The back room has its own eye-catching artwork, which Kara and her mother, retired art teacher Maryellen Picker, spent nearly a month creating. Their Jackson Pollock–style paintings adorn one wall; on another, round canvases float toward the ceiling like bubbles.
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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
The bursts of color, Pop Art touches, and overall concept “play off sparkling wine and bubbles,” Dave says. “They’re energetic. They’re effervescent. They’re fun.”
Kara’s design also mimics the bubbly beverages on their drink menu by bringing in a sense of movement. “In front you have the bar, and there are always bottles popping,” she says. “We installed glass racks in the back…so you can see the sparkles flowing at all times.”
Devotees of Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, which occupies the building’s second floor, may recognize a few items from the décor. Kara incorporated the vintage mirrors and some other elements into Pop to visually tie the two spaces together, as well as to embrace the French architecture of the building.
Pop and the Chocolate Bar “are complementary,” Dave says. “People are coming to Pop and then going upstairs for a nightcap or dessert, which is awesome because then you as the guest get that two-for-one experience without having to drive away.”
After using the space first for the chocolate bar and later L’Acadiane, Dave says, it’s exciting to see it reimagined as Pop. The concept is near and dear to his heart, in part because he originally came up with it while dating Kara.
“Ultimately, we wanted a space with the concept of celebrating the everyday. Everyone deserves sparkling wine and Champagne,” Kara says, noting that they want people to feel like they can come to Pop for a special occasion or even after yoga on a normal weekday. “It’s a space you feel comfortable in, that gives a true sense of joy with the colors.”
