[title]
If the initials PKNY unlock some core memories for you, we have some news: The beloved tiki bar is coming back! Only this time, PKNY (an abbreviation for painkiller) won't be in a dim Lower East Side den, and T.B.A. if the cocktails will be on fire or just, like, regular liquid. Still, anyone born before 1995 should be excited for the 2010s hotspot to return.
The PKNY Reunion will take place in Greenpoint, at the plant shop Greenery NYC. It's a collaboration between the original owner of PKNY, Richard Boccato, and San Diego-based rum and canned cocktail company Cutwater Spirits.
Boccato, along with original PKNY bartenders Natalie Jacob and Abraham Hawkins, will be mixing up some of their favorite tiki drinks, many of which haven't been the same in New York since the bar closed in 2013. On the menu: Missionary's Downfall, Zombie and Q.B. Cooler, plus a PKNY spin on Cutwater’s canned Piña Colada, which will be served blended from a frozen pineapple.
The pop-up will also try and recreate the OG ambiance of PKNY with a kaleidoscope of colorful lighting, freshly tagged work from PKNY's original graffiti artist Ivory TM7, an ambient set from their house DJ, custom bento boxes and other surprises. 100% of all tickets sold will benefit industry charity, Another Round, Another Rally, a nonprofit financial resource for the hospitality industry providing reimbursement grants, immersive educational scholarships for historically excluded voices in the community and emergency assistance for unexpected hardship.
"I'm honored to be working with Cutwater Spirits to bring PKNY back to life, and it's a sincere pleasure to be reunited with the old-school crew behind the bar after all these years. I'm especially proud that our efforts will benefit a cause dedicated to supporting bartenders in need,” said Bocato. “We're excited to welcome old friends and new guests alike to experience some of the legendary cocktails from our farewell menu."
The PKNY pop-up will be open exclusively to ticketed guests on Thursday, October 7 and Friday, October 8. Tickets can be purchased online for $50.