The only reasons I’m not 100 percent bummed about summer ending are that (a) it’s time for sweaters, (b) pumpkin spice is back, and (c) “Stranger Things” will be making a return in less than two months. If you don’t watch Netflix, the binge-friendly show debuted in July 2016 and was pretty much an instant hit – with plenty of ‘80s nostalgia like tinned chocolate pudding, big hair and effervescent paranoia.
People love “Stranger Things” so much that you can now visit a pop-up bar in Chicago. The bar, dubbed The Upside Down (both after the show’s terrifying realm/the feeling you’ll get if you have enough drinks) offers inspired cocktails like Eleven’s Eggo’s, made with bourbon, cranberry, citrus, maple syrup and an Eggo garnish; the Mouthbreather, which features gin, caramelized pineapple, lime, Ancho Reyes and Hellfire Shrub; and the Demogorgun, named after the series’ sci-fi monster, is made with rum, blood orange, lime and allspice.
Beyond the creative menu, the pop-up stayed true to the show when designing the space with colored string lights, a wall painted with the alphabet, a graphic mural of Eleven, as well as other artwork and design installations from local artists. The Upside Down is planning to have ‘80s themed music nights and performances from area musicians, and is hopeful that customers will dress up like their favorite characters.
The bar is operated by Emporium Popups, a self-defined “series of rotating bar/music/shop experiences.” Emporium’s website says this concept bar is “inspired by and pay[s] homage to the instant-classic television show about the haunting happenings in Hawkins, Indiana and the brave kids of the Hawkins Middle School AV Club who saved their friend and their town from the devious deeds of the Hawkins National Laboratory and the subsequent devastation of the Demogorgon!”
The pop-up will be open until the end of September in Lincoln Square at 2367 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. The second season of “Stranger Things” will be available on Netflix on October 27, 2017.
Photo courtesy of Emporium Chicago
