Tinsel Christmas Pop-up Bar Brings A White Christmas To 12th Street

Craft Concepts Group isn't letting the Grinch steal it's Holiday spirit. Teddy Sourias and the elves at CCG announce the season grand opening of Tinsel Christmas Pop-up at 112 S. 12th Street. New for 2020, look for a new festive over-the-top streetery, a new twinkling light display, and a brand-new charity for the Canned Good Cocktails.

Additionally, look for a new snow machine to bring a touch of a white Christmas to Midtown Village. Christmas cocktails will again be served out of ornaments, boots and snow globes, with food coming from the new sister restaurant next door, Sueno. For the health and safety of patrons and staff, all customers are required to wear a mask while not seated, and customers entering to pick-up their orders must socially-distance and follow the new one-way system through the building.

Tinsel will grand open today at 4:00pm and remain open at least through December 31st. Tinsel will run Monday to Friday, 4:00pm to 11:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday, Noon to 11:00pm, through at least December 31, 2020. Sueno next door will feature Tinsel Christmas cocktails and share the streetery. Sueno operating hours will be Monday to Friday, from 4:00pm to last seating at 10:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 2:00pm to 10:30pm for last seating.

Times may adjust based on local and state guidelines. There is no cover charge or admission to enter Tinsel Christmas Pop-up this year. Tinsel is open to all customers placing and picking up their orders, and to those who dine at the outdoor Christmas streetery. For more about Tinsel, please visit TinselPhilly on Instagram. For more about Sueno, visit SuenoPhilly on Instagram.

"While the current times are dark and gloomy, Tinsel 2020 is just the opposite. Covered wall to wall with dazzling lights and Christmas decor, Tinsel exudes a happy cheer, much needed for all this year," said Craft Concepts Group owner Teddy Sourias. "Tinsel is an annual tradition that is as much Philly as Christmas Village, the Macy's Christmas Light Show and the Comcast Holiday Spectacular. It was important to open this year so that we can celebrate the holidays with everyone in a new, safe and socially-distanced way. There is indeed light at the end of the tunnel and we need to hold onto things that are positive and forward-facing. If you are comfortable and in Center City, we invite you to stop by and say Merry Christmas. If you are staying at home, or not able to join us, we will be back and better than ever in 2021 when you are ready. Either way, we are thankful for the support this year for me and my staff of over 300 employees - and we wish one and all a happy holiday!"

Starting today through at least December 31, 2020, a large stretch of 12th Street in Midtown Village will turn into Tinsel Christmas Pop-up, open-air Christmas eatery and restaurant. Tinsel will bring the sparkle of the holidays to the street as the exterior, sidewalk and streetery outside Tinsel, Finn McCools, Sueno and Go Popcorn all get a Christmas make-over with thousands of twinkling lights, bows, presents, elves, santa hats, bells and more.

Outside, look for the streetery featuring seven tables with seating for four guests with heat lamps, wind guards, twinkling lights and added decorations. Table service will be available with food and drinks from both Tinsel and Sueno. Sueno will also feature take-out food and drink from Tinsel and Sueno menus out their front-windows for those in a rush and on the go!

Inside Tinsel, customers will place and pick-up their order in the middle of a Christmas wonderland - as they socially distance "at least one Christmas tree apart from each other" and move in the new one-way layout. No food or drink is allowed for consumption inside, and masks are required at all times when inside ordering or picking up. All food and drink will be packaged and sealed to go.

For theme, Tinsel will take merry-makers on a journey to the North Pole to Santa's Workshop and the Christmas Cottage - with real life snowflakes making it a white Christmas in this make-believe Christmas wonderland. Sourias, with help from Anne White of AGW Interiors, have created a new experience this year that starts inside a very active, bustling and colorful Santa's Workshop where the elves are busy at work preparing for Christmas. The workshop at Tinsel is shining brighter than ever before in 2020 - with over 30,000 twinkling lights glistening throughout to shine and stay bright for everyone way back "South" in Philadelphia. Holiday-goers are then invited to the Christmas Cottage for a photo in front of Santa's grand throne. Special guests along the way include Santa, Mrs. Claus, a giant Gingerbread Man, a Toy Soldier and other familiar faces. While most magical creatures great and small are friendly, beware of the Christmas villains - with custom artwork by local artist Scott Johnston who pays tribute to Christmas Gremlin (Spike), Krampus, Snow Miser, Winter Warlock, Jack Skellington, Heat Miser and White Walker (from Game of Thrones). Escape if you can through the back exit down Candy Cane Alley and find yourself transported back to Philadelphia by way of Samson Street.

For music, Tinsel will transport holiday-goers to better times of days gone-by, circa 2019. Listen to Mr. Christmas DJ Robert Drake's holiday playlist to remind us of the amazing times we had and to get us excited for better days ahead. Last year's playlist was specifically selected for its positive and upbeat collection of curated holiday songs - which ties in with Tinsel's bigger mission this year which is to keep things uplifted and positive.

For cocktails, look for a selection of naughty and nice Christmas creations available at the Christmas streetery, at the Sueno take-out window and inside Tinsel (packaged to go). Ice cold craft beer, standard cocktails and other beverages will also be available. Select drinks will be served as always in a Christmas ornament, a Santa's boot, a snow globe and other souvenir vessels to take home and keep for years to come. The popular Canned Good Cocktail will return with a portion of the proceeds going to feed furloughed workers out of a job due to the government shutdown of indoor dining. Look for details about this new program to launch in early January of 2021.

For food, patrons can enjoy a full dinner menu of Mexican street favorites from Sueno by Executive Chef Caroline Hough. Additionally, look for the addition of food items from Craft Concepts Group's new ghost kitchens - plus sweets, treats and holiday comfort food offerings from the elves helping at Tinsel and Sueno's kitchen.

Tables are first come, first served for Tinsel and Sueno's Christmas-themed streetery. Guests can, however, put their name in at the host stand during select hours and they will receive a text when their name is nearing the top of the list.

For health and safety, Santa requires all guests must wear masks unless they are at a table, with absolutely no exceptions, otherwise they will make Santa's naughty list and be asked to leave. Additional safety protocols include staff temperature checks, QR code menus, socially distanced tables, new cleaning procedures, time limits, and other new systems. Tinsel will also update health and safety protocols to be in compliance with local and state health regulations.

"Don't leave home for Tinsel without your mask," said Sourias. "Masks are 100% required and have been the new normal for Tinsel and all of our properties in 2020. Wearing a mask is something we should all be used to now. Make a mask wearing fun and festive - and get into the Christmas spirit with holiday themes. But no matter what your mask style, don't be a Karen Claus and show up without one.

For more about Tinsel, visit TinselPhilly on Instagram.

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