When COVID-19 shuttered bars and nightclubs, the city that never sleeps suddenly went into hibernation—and those long months served as a reminder that in New York, communities are created after dark. Conversation, romance, and collaborations are often kindled around cocktails. Whether a familiar riff played on a piano or a house track pounded through a sound system, music transports and transforms us. And Laissez Faire, a sophisticated new bar that will open September 7 beneath the Beekman Hotel, aims to offer that exact experience to their patrons—all in a quintessentially New York setting.
Laissez Faire is the collaboration of nightclub veterans Jack Mulqueen, Victor Houston, Tolga Dogan, William Tigertt, Donte McGuine, and Alex Smith. The founders’ choice to open the watering hole in the Financial District reflects the continued evolution of the neighborhood. Over the past few years, FiDi and its dizzying skyscrapers have transformed from the claustrophobic terrain of stockbrokers and tourists to one of the city’s most sought-after zip codes. In addition to a spate of new bars and brasseries, the glamorous Casa Cipriani looms just a few minutes drive down South Street.
A discreet, neon sign marks the entrance on Theatre Alley. One of the few public alleys in Manhattan, the cobblestone passage, which cuts between Ann and Beekman Street, takes its name from the Park Theatre. Constructed in 1798 as a grand attempt to rival European playhouses, the Park burned down in the mid-19th century. By then, the establishment had descended into infamy, known as a place where the city’s elite rubbed shoulders with its most disreputable characters.
Upon entering, guests descend the stairs to a subterranean oasis. The sense of cinematic drama is not lost on Mulqueen, who describes the experience with enthusiasm. “Your eyes track down from the sign to the velvet rope encircling a nondescript door,” he says. “And think, in the words of the great David Byrne, ‘This must be the place.’”
The glamorous interiors conjure both the polish and transgression of legendary New York haunts. When designing the space, Mulqueen and his partners discussed the concept of “the future of Old New York.” They succeeded in creating a modern interpretation of classic, almost fictional notions of New York nightlife: alley entrance, underground club, live music, martinis.
The green velvet that envelops the tufted chairs and drapes the walls, as well as the pink banquettes and wood paneling, reference the Stork Club, the uptown hotspot that epitomized cafe society in the first half of the 20th century. The exposed brick and open plenums, meanwhile, tempered with the decadence of disco balls and metallic flourishes, evoke the irreverence of West Side warehouses, most notably Tunnel. (The Chelsea discotheque—which Rudy Guliani successfully shuttered in 2001 during the mayor’s so-called “quality of life” crusade—reigned as the favorite of drag queens and hip hop kings throughout the 1980s and 1990s.) Along with these evocations of New York nightlife of decades past, Laissez Faire also features plenty of unmistakably contemporary details, including the futuristic lighting that covers the ceiling and the sculptural speakers.
“Building a club is not unlike making a movie,” Houston says. “Except your clientele are both the audience, and the stars.”
Like the most riveting movies, Laissez Faire offers a variety of scenes with a diverse cast of characters. Starting at 6 p.m., the bar will serve caviar, oysters, and heartier fare from Tom Colicchio, the telegenic chef and restaurateur. The martini is, of course, the primary focus: The founders tapped the renowned Alex Smith to design a drinks program around Manhattan’s favorite libation. Sure, the Beekman’s proximity to Wall Street will undoubtedly turn the lounge into a favorite for wolves, but the sexy corners and white glove service render it an ideal spot for dates, especially given enclaves can be siphoned off into private rooms. On Wednesdays, live musicians will take the stage. Finally, late into the night, world-class DJs will make use of the state-of-the-art 4-point Danley Sound Labs system, one of the most advanced in the city. At its essence, Laissez Faire enables New Yorkers to revel in a dose of glamorous nostalgia—all while living the bright, electric present.
