Can a cocktail bar with food and live music help Vancouver shed its "no fun" rep and give the city's grown-ups somewhere to hang out?
The owners of an exciting new concept - in a well-known nightlife space - are foreseeing that Prophecy will do just that.
For decades, fun-seekers have slipped beneath the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in search of libations and lively evenings, but for the past few years, the space has sat dark. In its most recent iteration, the venue was Prohibition, a posh Art Deco-styled escape meant to evoke the scandalous era when booze was persona non grata.
'We saw a gap in the market'
The pandemic brought Prohibition's era to an end, and, after one false start for the bar venue under new ownership, the team from Vancouver's At Home Hospitality (Justin Mensah-Coker, Teddy Wilkie, and Mike Rose) took the reins. This is the crew who own Yaletown's cherished hangout the Banter Room as well as who operate the Living Room at the Hotel Belmont; they know a thing or two about creating a space for a good time.
When the space became available, At Home Hospitality "jumped at the opportunity" to create a concept for it, Mensah-Coker tells V.I.A. during a pre-opening walk-through of Prophecy.
"We saw a gap in the market," he explains. "We wanted to create something special and timeless that doesn't only fit within the aesthetic of the hotel, but that also provides the elements of entertainment and culture."
Interior design blends vintage and modern
Prophecy has been in the works for about a year, Mensah-Coker shares, explaining how the team worked with a branding agency in New York to harness their vision and come up with a mood board for the venue. They then brought on acclaimed Vancouver design studio Ste Marie to execute the interior look, which seamlessly knits nostalgia with modernity.
Case in point, the furniture textiles have vintage vibes but contemporary forms, and the walls are flanked with screens that display striking photographs or modern art. Prophecy is working with Apollo for the artwork, and worked with them to curate the image library for the changeable and framed digital displays, which are so crisp and well-executed, you'd be hard-pressed to think you weren't in a gallery looking at prints.
The goal with the design was to offer something "completely different than what Vancouver has seen before," describes Mensah-Coker.
That aim is echoed in the overall philosophy of Prophecy, which is the power of spaces to bring people together, something Mensah-Coker says was emblematic of Vancouver 40 or more years ago when the city was rife with live music and nightlife.
Prophecy addresses the in-between of dining out and nightclubs
The Prophecy crew has tracked that Vancouverites tend to volley between two kinds of going-out options: restaurants and nightclubs. The latter, in particular, might not be where everyone wants to hang out, especially if they are in search of a little sophistication. Specifically, sophistication that includes cocktails, food, and live music.
Prophecy's bar program was curated by award-winning and Michelin Guide-recognized Vancouver bartender Jeff Savage (Botanist Bar) and the venue has secured Bar Manager Nicole Cote (AnnaLena, Published on Main). The cocktail menu is, frankly, a little nerdy and a little whimsical, but illustrates what Prophecy is going for: storytelling.
Every drink tells a story
The bar has a "Cocktail Book" divided into sections for the styles of drinks (i.e. "Short Stories" for shorter, quicker quaffs) and each offering is marked with a visual legend to identify a taste category: Spirituous, Refreshing, Herbaceous, or Lush. The drinks menu is where English majors or history buffs will surely feel at home, thanks to nods to novels like The Outsiders or Snow Falling on Cedars, or traditional Japanese tea ceremonies and other moments in time.
Ultimately, the idea was to focus on not just the blending of spirits and flavours in the drinks, but on the storytelling component behind each recipe. And if every drink tells a story, those enjoying the beverages (boozy or not) will, in turn, have the chance to share stories in conversation while sipping as well as stories to tell after their evening at Prophecy.
The team sourced the glassware from all over the globe, explains Mensah-Coker, and some of the drink presentations will be very exciting for guests, too.
Food menu includes share plates, larger mains
To go with the cocktail program, Prophecy is working with the hotel to execute its menu, which Mensah-Coker describes as "internationally-inspired small bites and shareables."
"We really want part of the energy and vibe to be community," he adds, emphasizing Prophecy's food menu as being rooted in "family-style" dining. There will also be larger more main course dishes, he notes, so that Prophecy can easily satisfy a guest's craving for a hearty burger or steak dinner.
While Prophecy is below ground, the At Home Hospitality team doesn't want the venue to feel hidden; they aren't leaning into the space's old identity and its speakeasy motif.
"We want to be seen," says Mensah-Coker. "Come and sit, have food and cocktails, and enjoy the lively environment."
Live music and DJs set the mood at Prophecy
To help enliven the warm room (which still boasts its long central bar, seating areas on raised platforms, and a bookable back area - complete with pocket door) there will be live music. During the week, expect to enjoy lots of upbeat jazz, whereas into the night on weekends live DJs will pump the beats, with an emphasis on genres like Afro and Jungle House to bring a moody nightlife energy to Prophecy.
At Home's Hospitality's thesis is to offer "unpretentious hospitality," which, as Mensah-Coker explains, means that while the venue is a high-end cocktail bar, it is also approachable, and somewhere Vancouverites and visitors can go to feel transported and welcome.
To that end, there is no strict dress code - though Prophecy would prefer you leave your flip-flops, gym gear, and sports jerseys at home. Instead, tap into the notion of going out on the town and dressing your best.
For those who aren't keen to keep clubbing hours, fear not: Prophecy will open for cocktail service (with a Happy Hour menu) daily from 4 to 6 p.m. before transitioning into the evening. They'll be open until midnight Monday through Wednesday, 1 a.m. on Thursday, 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Mensah-Coker and the At Home Hospitality team are thrilled to be opening after so many months of work to realize their "passion project."
Prophecy opens to the public on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. Reservations are available now via the Prophecy website.
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