Halloween Themed Bar Coming To Center City Philadelphia

Ghosts and ghouls, witching hour approaches. Teddy Sourias and Craft Concepts Group - the creators of Philadelphia's Christmas Pop-up Bar - announces the opening of Nightmare Before Tinsel. Philadelphia's Halloween Pop-up Bar will take over the 100+ former jewelry store space at 116 S. 12th Street in Midtown Village. Among the ghosts that still haunt the space - including the ghosts of Tinsel's past - look for eerie ambiance, scary photo opps, witches bru cocktails, seasonal fall beers, costumed bartenders, and tons of frights and flights. Inside the new Halloween pop-up bar, look for a room of 1,001 eyes, fights inspired by Poe's Nevermore, a haunted coffin, zombie wall, custom retro ghost bar, giant spider web alley and more - plus of course lots of ghosts, ghouls, goblins, witches and spectres. Nightmare plans to creak open the doors in early October, with final details to be revealed soon. Stay tuned as Concept Group prepares to unleash your worst and best nightmare - in a fun and frightful new bar experience.

"Craft Concepts Group is trading in the holiday cheer for boos, scares and frights," said Sourias. "Nightmare Before Tinsel will keep you scared all month long during October. We have been working away to bring you a brand new pop-up experience unlike anything done in a Philadelphia bar before. Tinsel has quickly become a popular part of Philadelphia's holiday tradition - and we wanted to continue to test our creativity. We also are trying to constantly think out of the box and have a little fun along the way. We can't wait to

The former home of Simpson's Jewelry, and the home of Tinsel Christmas Bar for the last two years, will be converted from top to bottom, left to right and everything in between with scenes, images and custom art that bring Philadelphia's Nightmare to life. Exhibits, props, decorations and photo opportunities will range from scary and gory, to ironic and funny, the retro and vintage. Bring your phones charged for selfies and snaps for everything from a haunted casket, skull wall, spiders web and zombie's wall. At the bar, look for a custom giant bar top that celebrates the true ghosts of Halloween's past, present and future - by artist Scott Johnston. Above the main bar, Nightmare trades in the grand Christmas Gift Chandelier for spooky spectres, ghastly ghosts and other things that go bump in the night. In the darkest and deepest corner and crevices of Nightmare, look for a truly eye-popping experience with the selfie room of 1,001 eyes in the haunted doll house. Only the brave are welcome - at your own risk.

For a blast from the past, and a tip of the hat to Philadelphia's history, look for some Nevermore inspiration taken from tell-tale stories by Edgar Allen Poe. For the sweet tooth, enjoy a trick or treat with a cocktail inspired by Candy Corn - which was invented in Philadelphia.

As Nightmare gets closer to completion look for a full list of features, themes and stories to be shared. This is an early preview of the haunted fun that will scare up fun all October long.

From eerie ambiance to quirky cocktails, look for a full selection of exclusive and spirited cocktails and witches bru. Behind the bar, look for your favorite bartenders from BRU, Tradesman's, Blume, Finn McCools, Tinsel and Uptown Beer Garden rustling about the ruins pouring potions and seasonal fall beers. Like Tinsel, the bar will feature selections in theme, several with a take-away souvenir so you can never escape Philadelphia's Nightmare. For the true-spirit seekers and adventurous, costumes are welcome and encourage - but optional. Happy hour specials will run on select weekdays for those who get in the true bewitched spirit of the holiday.

Music for Nightmare Before Tinsel will be currated by DJ Robert Drake, who also currated music for Tinsel. Drake has a long history with Halloween in Philly as the coordinator and head zombie of the Philly Zombie Crawl. He is also known as "Mr. Christmas."

Nightmare Halloween Pop-up Bar tentative opening hours are Monday and Tuesday, from 5:00pm to 10:00pm, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 2:00pm to Midnight, Saturday Noon to Midnight, and Sunday Noon to 10:00pm. Stay tuned for final hours, happy hour specials, full menus, and more details to be revealed.

From the most wonderful time of year to the things nightmares are made of, Philadelphia's new Halloween Pop-up Bar will creak open its doors in early October. Stay tuned for news of bewitching hour. Philadelphia, Nightmare will see you on the spook side.

SPACE SPECS

Nightmare's location for the past two years was the home of Philadelphia's Tinsel Christmas Pop-up Bar. Each season Tinsel has been at capacity every single day, attracting thousands of visitors and merry-makers. Craft Concepts Group wanted to take things to the next level in terms of creativity and design - and the idea for Nightmare was born. For the new concept, the space was enlarged, the staircase removed and the space opened up.

Nightmare Before Tinsel will feature nearly 1,400 square feet of spooked-out space. Craft Concepts Group tapped the talents of internal interior designer Anne White of AGW Interiors for design and decor - who also was the designer behind Tradesman's, Tinsel and Blume. White is working with local artists and the CCG team to turn Nightmare into the perfect holiday nightmare.

In the main bar room, look for the Halloween bar to feature a thirty-three feet long bar top, and seating for at least 12 people. The custom top was designed with help from local artist Scott Johntson - who is known for his work at Silk City Diner and Franky Bradly's. He also has designed art pieces in the past for Tradesman's, BRU Craft & Wurst and U-Bahn. Johntson pays homage to the ghosts of Halloween past, present and future - as made famous in movies, TV and through pop culture.

For preparations, Nightmare expanded the Tinsel space and removed select walls and the grand staircase. This will later be turned into a new feature for Tinsel. Stay tuned.

COMING SOON

When the raven flies in October, look for news and secrets to be shared - including details about the full potion, bru and cocktail menu, a full list of experiences and exhibits, the story behind Nightmare, special events and parties, charity connections, and more. Nightmare will also show retro Halloween movies and feature a special playlist for the Halloween season. Full details will come as witching hour approaches.

BUILDING

In 2017, the 100+ year former jewelry shop passed the baton from the sparkle of diamonds to the twinkle of hundreds of holiday lights for Tinsel - and now to the dead of night for Nightmare. Tinsel brought new life into the street level space that is was vacant for years, and Nightmare continues that tradition.

Tinsel joins the ranks of Craft Concepts Group that now includes Blume, Tradesman's, BRU Craft and Wurst, U-Bahn, Finn McCool's Ale House and Uptown Beer Garden.

Simpson's Jewelry was a family run, full service, jewelry store which was established in 1895.

Tinsel is Philadelphia's ONLY home-growan Christmas Bar that will bring even more Christmas cheer into the space formerly occupied by Simpson's Jewelry in Midtown Village each year. Tinsel debuted to capacity crowds every single day it was open for the first two years. Tinsel was originally opened in less than three weeks when Simpson's moved out of the space next to Finn McCool's. Last year, Craft Concepts Group spent months on raising the ceilings, breaking through the walls, exposing the original grand staircase, lengthening the bar and creating even more space for holiday revelry. For 2019, stay tuned for exciting surprises and new decor, plus an exciting selection of new holiday cheer at the bar.

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