(Above logo via Facebook)
ORLANDO | BlueLaLa Entertainment founder Blue Star announced via social media Aug. 23 a new project that will be coming to downtown Orlando’s Church Street area.
“So you ask #whatsnext? A question that has molded itself into my daily life since the closing of The Venue almost a year ago,” Star wrote on Facebook. “We have had quite the year and continue to wake up each day with a deep sigh and that #whatsnext question looming … I’m happy we are finally able to share our next project with you. Here’s a little TASTE of #whatsnext.”
Along with the post was an image of a logo for Häos on Church.
So you ask #whatsnext? A question that has molded itself into my daily life since the closing of The Venue almost a year…
Posted by Blue Star on Sunday, August 23, 2020
Häos on Church will be part restaurant, part bar and part entertainment venue.
“It has cuisinary, a word which we made up which means you are going to come and eat delicious food; it has libations, which means you will come a drink amazing cocktails, mocktails, whatever you prefer; and amusements, which means you can be entertained at any given time,” Star says.
The new downtown hot spot will be located at 123 W. Church St., the former home of the soccer-themed pub and grill Lions Pride Orlando, and right across the street from LGBTQ-owned Hamburger Mary’s.
“I love Hamburger Mary’s, and [owners] John [Paonessa] and Mike [Rogier],” Star says. “As John would say, we are now neighbor friends with benefits, so I’m excited to encourage more people to come down to a street that needs a lot of revival.”
Restaurants on Church St. have had a rough go at it since the COVID-19 pandemic created an atmosphere of quarantining and social distancing. Along with Lions Pride, Ceviche Tapas and Wahlburgers are also no longer a part of downtown’s historic Church St.
“It’s an interesting time to open a business,” Star acknowledges. “But these artists need a place to perform, and I love music and I love food, so why not integrate those two things.”
Details on Häos are scarce at the moment, partly because they are still in the early planning stage and partly because Star enjoys keeping an air of mystery and excitement around her endeavors, but she did reveal a few things customers can expect.
“Downstairs will be for more or less straight-forward dining and upstairs will house a bunch of different things for people to enjoy, but things can change,” Star says. “There’s a lot of moving parts right now that we are still trying to figure out, and I’m not afraid to try some different things and if they work then great, if they don’t then great too.”
What it will absolutely be though, Star says, is a double safe space.
“After Pulse, we created safe spaces that became synonymous with the LGBTQ community. Now with COVID, we want to create yet another safe space,” she says. “It’s very interesting to go into creating a new business with these new COVID standards and guidelines in place. We will be taking all of the precautions necessary to put people at ease and get them to come back out. Have them come out and live a little, but within the parameters we have been given.”
To keep updated on Häos on Church — including a grand opening date, menu and entertainment options — announcements, follow them on Facebook.
