COMMUNITY NEWS
Unquarked, the local bar and lounge that encourages everyone to “Drink Local, Eat Global” is relocating to Mari Mac Village Shopping Center.
Sirphey took over operations at Unquarked in October of 2017 with the goal of turning it into Los Alamos’s premier event location, as well as a place where locals could unwind. But with that change came growing pains.
“We quickly found that the space was a bit too tight for us. It’s not rare for On Tap lectures, Trivia Tuesdays, and dance nights to fill every seat in the house and then some,” said Prashant Jain, owner of Unquarked’s parent company, Sirphey.
And so began the plan for expansion. Several local possibilities were explored in the process of finding the perfect fit before the company ultimately settled on the former Blue Window Bistro space.
“For our needs, it really is perfect. It provides us and our customers with 50% more square footage, a full kitchen, multiple bathrooms, and plenty of parking just off the main street,” said Jain.
With the new location will come a brand new, globally inspired menu, a forty tea menu, and a full-service coffee operation in partnership with Santa Fe’s Iconik Coffee Roasters, named the best coffee in New Mexico by Food Network. These new menu features will join Unquarked’s eleven brews on tap, forty New Mexican wines, and non-alcoholic favorites like Mango Lassis. And fans of Sirphey need not fear – the restaurant’s daily changing offerings may still be added to bar tabs for on-demand delivery.
“We really want Unquarked to be a place where all members of the community feel welcome to wander in, day or night, for a coffee, quick bite, place to work, place to unwind, or a night out with friends. And we’re taking a number of steps to make that possible,” explained Sirphey’s communication director, Cortni Nucklos.
Free Wi-Fi will be available to all, wireless charging stations will be on hand, and plans for a music stage are in the works.
“But mostly, we’re excited for the opportunity to bring more special events to Los Alamos County. Tap takeovers from local breweries, special Pixar and Harry Potter trivia nights, the return of the Hot Texas Swing band, and more will be taking place at Unquarked, over the summer,” Nucklos continued.
The Mari Mac Village Shopping Center has been an epicenter of vacant spaces in downtown Los Alamos, over the past few years, and Unquarked is excited by the prospect of creating some change in the downtown landscape. And in that endeavor, they’ve been greatly assisted by broker Jyl DeHaven, building manager Steve Waller, and the county.
“The business development and building safety divisions have been incredibly helpful. Leasing a long-vacant space in a corporate dark site is a very tricky process, and the county were there to help – answering our most random of questions and providing insight at every step. They’re a tremendous aid to small businesses in the community, and I’ve no doubt that between Jyl, Steve, and the county, Mari Mac will be bustling again, soon.”
But the Unquarked team does find the move slightly bittersweet.
“Our neighbors at Central Park Square are lovely. We’ll miss seeing the ladies of Allure, Marguerite and MJ at Rose Chocolatier, everyone who works with Project Y, and the parade of puppies from Cyndi’s Downtown Dogs events. And we’ll miss the friendly waves from Caesar, Martin, and Leo,” said Jain.
Unquarked will close its operation at #145 Central Park Square after Trivia on Monday, April 29th. The new location in Mari Mac Village is projected to open in mid-May, following minor renovations.
Unquarked thanks all its local partners for being so patient with them while they’ve finalized their relocation over the past few months.