Sacha Delfosse
Music and alcohol have always been good bedfellows but a new bar in Sydney is marrying the two in an innovative and refreshing way.
Mojo Record Bar is a new venue occupying the old Mojo Music site, with the record store still there, except it now has a rocking and rolling basement bar attached with capacity for up to 120 people.
The idea behind launching the unique record store and bar combo came about following the demise of retail sales of music and the opportunity that new licensing laws allowed.
The result is a cool space where people can dig through crates of records while enjoying a drink, or sit at the bar or one of numerous red leather booths that dot the venue, and enjoy quality drinks and with a great soundtrack to match.
Former Hugos Bar Pizza venue manager, Natalie Ng, has been recruited to run the bar and she has enlisted the help of a well-tuned band of bartenders that will put the great selection of fine spirits on the back bar to good use.
“The spirit selections, though more tequila-focused, includes five to six selections for all the main categories. And cocktails have rock and roll themed names like the Lemon Cohen and Smells Like Gin Spirit,” Ng explains.
The idea behind the concept is to take the community vibe and social elements of a record store and bring that into a bar environment, co-owner Jon Rutten says, and since there is such a good synergy between rock music and booze he believes the concept will provide a point of difference.
“Our angle is music, which is always a cool thing to be around.”
Although music collectors and aficionados are a big target, the bar’s fun and friendly atmosphere is sure to attract a larger demographic of drinkers. Down the line the venue hopes to incorporate live music into its offer as well as give people the ability to download the music playlist.
The record store is open from 9am to 6pm everyday, staying open later on Thursdays and Fridays, while the bar operates from 4pm to midnight from Monday to Fridays and from 6pm to midnight on Saturdays.
73 York Street, Sydney