“The space is, in a lot of ways, a reflection of me and my identity but coincides with what our community needs are,” says Francesca Hoffman, musician, event organizer, and founder of Kingston’s soon-to-open, queer- and music-focused Unicorn Bar, which will take over the former Beverly Lounge spot on Hasbrouck Avenue. “That’s been this special gift—to be able to do the things I love and produce programming I love while catering to these big gaps in the nightlife market. There is very little cabaret, burlesque, variety show, or performance art. There is no designated queer space [in Kingston] and our queer community just keeps growing and growing.
A multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, Hoffman fell in love with Balkan and brass music years ago and cofounded the annual Brassroots Festival in Kingston in 2018. She aims to bring this music to Unicorn with regular brass nights and monthly Balkan dancing, along with cabaret, burlesque, and programming from other queer organizers in the community. “My thought is that every brass band from New York City to Providence, Boston to Montreal should stop here on their way through,” she says. “If you build it, they will come. We’re on the way, but we’ve not had the venue capacity to host a lot of these projects.”
The location, at the intersection of Foxhall Avenue and Derrenbacher Street, has deep roots as a community watering hole. The Kingston-built Cassidy & Sons bar is a thing of Art Deco beauty that served as the backbone of the Kozy Tavern for 80 years before becoming what locals affectionately called “the Bev” in 2016. With old-school wooden booths, queer nights, killer margaritas, slammin’ poke boles, and the occasional vinyl DJ, it was a true community bar where all were welcome. So when it never reopened post-pandemic, its absence left a hole.
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The Beverly Lounge
Hoffman is looking to change all that with Unicorn bar and infuse the space with fresh life. “I wasn’t necessarily targeting the Beverly space. I had this idea that I wanted to make this happen, but I knew the space was vacant and I had been reaching out to the owner for a while,” she says. “I’m a persistent human.”
The bar encompasses three separate, interconnected spaces. There’s the 80-seat side room, a 40-seat back room, and the barroom itself, which includes six booths in addition to the long, 20-seat bar. Ongoing renovations are minimal but include a stage build-out in the backroom, with proper lighting and sound, and a fresh interior paint job. “We’re leaning into Art Deco 1930s vibes that are already in the space with the light fixtures,” says Hoffman, who is working with Kingston designer Brooke Lane. ”It’s not going to be a restaurant. We’ll have some food offerings but the side room is more of a lounge space. The idea is to use that back room for dancing as much as possible.”
As for drinks, like the decor, Hoffman is leaning classic, “elevated but simple,” as she calls it, with plenty of NA offerings including tasty mocktails, along with mid-range wines and beers. “Accessibility is really important to me,” she says. “So there will be $6 to $7 options as well as $18 to $19 options. The goal is for everyone to feel that this place is for them.”
With no direct restaurant industry experience, Hoffman is relying on a strong team to develop the bar program, while she focuses on programming and community engagement. “Festivals are so exhausting—it’s so much work for a day, two days, three days,” she says. “I needed more stability in my life. A bar seemed like the best way to marry all the things I love together in a sustainable way.”
Knee-deep in paperwork from insurance to Planning Board prep, Hoffman is waiting on her temporary liquor permit from the SLA, but she hopes to be open by the end of March. “I’ve been dreaming about this for the better part of a decade,” she says. “I’ve been in the area for six and a half years full time. I took time to build the community and the network. If I was some outsider, if I hadn’t been thoughtful about what this space needs to be or who should be represented, I think people would be less excited. I’m really grateful that I have the support that I have to make this happen.”
Speaking of support, Hoffman is accepting funding and specific item donations for the bar. To inquire about how you can help email her at francescahoffman@gmail.com.
