CATCHING ON Story By Pat Garry, Contributing Writer editor@southernminnscene.com
T
he Roaring Twenties marked the beginning of Prohibition and sparked the inception of Speakeasies (covert bars where people scored illegal alcohol and enjoyed good times devoid of prying eyes). But when booze was again legalized, in 1933, speakeasies went the way of the dinosaurs…or so we thought. Recent years have ushered back the allure of a clandestine place, where customers can feel like they’re in on the secret, whether it’s a swanky cocktail club, a friendly dive bar, or an exclusive restaurant. These concealed destinations hide in seemingly innocuous establishments, like in gas stations or office buildings. Maybe they reside above or below other bars or restaurants, at the end of dark alleys or out in the wilderness. And with camouflaged doors that vary from refrigerators to safes, or bookcases, by entering through a phone booth in the rear of a building, or gaining access
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via an unexpected push on a wall of kegs in the back of a bar, it’s easy to walk right past the openings to these out-of-sight establishments. Secret bars and restaurants have become so popular that many major cities have at least one. Rochester has one in the name of Bitter & Pour. It is the lovechild of four nice guys with stardust in their eyes (Andrew Ferguson, Josh Kral, John Pacchetti, and Patrick Hass). A surreptitious hideaway, housed in the basement of the Merchant Exchange building on Historic 3rd Street, B&P serves only the finest spirits and elixirs to society’s hippest drinkers. “In the pursuit of excellence, we created a tiny altar that pays tribute to everything we’ve always wanted…a cozy and stylish atmosphere, detail-obsessive cocktails, impeccable wine, and a collage of craft beers,” said Pacchetti. Bitter & Pour is the only cocktail bar in Southern Minnesota that has a hidden bookcase entrance. The milieu is comfy and cozy, and the inners house swanky, cool furniture with music to match. Creating
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unique drinks at Bitter & Pour commences with the ice; fashioned from their own Clinebell machine (typically used to make large blocks of ice, used in ice sculpting). The contraption’s charm is that it continually stirs the water as it freezes, keeping impurities in motion as the ice solidifies, allowing it all to freeze perfectly clear; and permitting the guys to cut their own, clear ice with a bandsaw. No reservations are needed at B&P; however, waitlist software is utilized during high-traffic times on weekends. “We do offer a seated experience; our host seats all guests in our limited space (even to the bar stools). This ensures that folks have some elbow room, as we control the standing-room only issues that typically occur in a bar such as ours. It leads to a better customer experience and faster operations,” Ferguson explained. Bitter & Pour customers come from all walks of life and from all age groups. “We provide a relaxed, intimate setting that everyone can appreciate. Upon entering, customers are likely to hear Frank Sinatra or Otis Redding playing in the background, and even A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent