Bikes, Bands, Beer, BBQ

© Gabrielle Sierra / RumBum.com

From the outside The Shop may appear to be a working warehouse space, but head inside and behold… a working warehouse space. In fact, The Shop is actually a garage, complete with rows of new and mid-fix motorcycles. Lucky for us drinkers, this joint is also a pretty awesome bar, with patrons kept separate from the machines by nothing more than a thin velvet rope.

With the business in the back that leaves the party in the front, and The Shop offers multiple spaces for dancers to get their groove on. DJs spin from behind folding tables, and speakers run on wires snaked along the white walls. A thin spiral staircase connects the main floor with a lofted lounge area, ideal for people watching or resting your dancing feet. During the summer, a small space is roped off on the street where patrons can sit and enjoy a few beers while watching passersby. Unfortunately there is no joke in the warning that the bathroom is an actual indoor-port-a-potty, so it is best to hold on until you are about to burst.

Special events happen almost every night and run the gamut from fashionable after-parties to Monday Night Football. Music at The Shop ranges from blues to folk and 80s to dub step depending on the night, so the crowd tends to shift with the tunes. The weekends are best for a random drop in, but be sure to arrive on the earlier side; The Shop has a max capacity, and the bouncers are quick to turn latecomers away. As a general rule, this spot is a hipster hangout, bringing in the bearded locals while mixing in a smattering of dancey NYC youths.

The bar is cash only, and due to its makeshift nature, only serves beer and wine. The prices are quite reasonable, and the bartenders are quick with the cans of PBR and bottles of Blue Moon. There is no ATM inside, so be sure to visit a machine before entering. If you get hungry The Shop also provides some spicy house-made BBQ, cooked on The Shop’s signature smoker, known as “Riggins.”