These days a speakeasy concept is just about as common as your local Starbucks. Yet there seems to be no slowing in the trend, and for good reason. Conceptually, a speakeasy lends a sense of uncommon exclusivity, offering a unique experience to the lucky few to pass through its hidden doors. One of the more intriguing concepts we’ve discovered is Flask and The Press. This unconventional duo upends the traditional speakeasy concept: an intimate contemporary lounge concealed behind the facade of a cheery sandwich shop. Together, they juxtapose light and dark styles, two distinctively unique settings with stylized concepts to match.
Aiming to launch a speakeasy in the heart of Shanghai’s former French Concession, renowned mixologists & their passionate partners commissioned the development of the concept, location scouting and its space design.
The project all began with The Press, a colorful sandwich shop in a traditional diner setting. At the center of this bright and playful space is a vintage Coca-Cola vending machine, split vertically to swing open. This unusual door reveals the entrance to Flask, the nighttime bar setting of the concept. As you pass through the tunnel connecting the two establishments, the visitor experiences an extreme contrast in environment. The lighthearted feel of The Press passes away to reveal a mysterious space with visual cues to the traditional speakeasy: elaborate displays of bottles of liquor, a blend of dark and dim, plus a motley crew of furniture pieces that evoke a markedly darker sensibility.
To learn more about the Flask & The Press visit the project page HERE.
