If all goes as planned, Matt Luebert and Charles Eby will open a new cocktail bar and lounge in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood this coming spring. Already, work has begun to convert the former Sticks & Stones Social Lounge into the Witch Doctor.
Luebert, a member of the US Bartenders’ Guild and current bar manager at Rood Food in Lakewood, describes the novel venture’s vibe as “a witch doctor in the forest,” with stained glass windows, a thicket of live plants and a garden growing out back.
“I get a lot of inspiration from herbalism and stuff like that, so I'm going to be trying to put a little bit of health back into the unhealthy, so to speak,” Luebert explains. “You know, herbs and botanicals and stuff that are good for your heart, for your lungs, your immune system…”
He hopes to prepare in-house bitters, complex infusions, amari and tincture blends, both for use on-premises and for sale to go.
“I want to try to make anything that I possibly can by hand,” he adds.
The Witch Doctor will be geared to “all walks of life,” says Luebert, with affordable beer on up to fancier cocktails. They are going to convert the pool room in the middle of the space into a lounge. Down the road, they might bring in live music.
“We definitely want to grow into it and not have too much on our plate at first,” he says.
As for food, the owners hope to entice a independent operator to lease the adjacent space – both to service the bar but also the community at large.
“I grew up in Old Brooklyn. I currently own a house in Old Brooklyn. It's just getting better and better and I would love to be able to help bring more people into that little area,” he adds.
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