‘Magazine’ Opens at Former Shayz Lounge With Emphasis on Fun

Magazine (130 Franklin St.) opened last night with a packed house at the former home of Shayz Lounge. The new bar emphasizes a fun atmosphere and friendly, unpretentious service, co-founder Jermey Willis said.

Willis who lived above Shayz Lounge for 12 years, moved to Greenpoint from New Orleans in 2004 and is a co-founder of Greenpoint’s Real Estate Fine Art gallery and is also the vocalist/guitarist in the band The Listeners. “I’m from New Orleans and we kinda took some of the points of service from experiences in bars and restaurants there, and we want to have a jovial attitude,” Willis said. “The goal is to make a bar that feels like a party; we want it to feel very open and inviting and fun,” he said.

Magazine’s founding partners include Matt Wang (Candy Bar in Detroit), Julian Brizzi (Rucola, Grand Army, Celestine), and John Russell, a co-founder of Real Estate Fine Art. “Disco” David Discavage runs the bar program (formerly of Hotel Delmano, Mr. Fong’s, Primo’s), and will focus on mixed and frozen drinks. Continue reading →