Rum Brand Resurrects Legendary NYC Tiki Bar

Don’t call it a comeback, but Cutwater Spirits is resurrecting the iconic New York City bar PKNY for “Finding Legends With Cutwater: The PKNY Reunion,” a tropical cocktail pop-up. 

The two-night immersive experience (October 7 and October 8) in Brooklyn will feature the original PKNY bar team, including NYC bartending legend Richard Boccato, together for the first time since the bar’s closing in 2013. They will be making some of their favorite cocktails from the PKNY menu using San Diego-based distillery’s rums and canned cocktails. 100% of all tickets sold will benefit industry charity, Another Round, Another Rally.

“Another Round, Another Rally is a nonprofit financial resource for the hospitality industry providing reimbursement grants, immersive educational scholarships for historically excluded voices in the community, as well as emergency assistance for unexpected hardship,” shares Travis Nass, COO and Co-Founder of Another Round Another Rally.

PKNY was critically acclaimed for its cocktails and punk-inspired take on the tiki bar. Unfortunately, due to Manhattan’s rising rent, it was forced to close nearly a decade ago. The pop-up will feature stations of Cutwater’s rum-based canned cocktails including their Piña Colada, Mai Tai and Mojito.

Boccato, along with original PKNY bartenders Natalie Jacob and Abraham Hawkins, will be mixing up a few of their favorites from the genre including the Missionary’s Downfall, Zombie, Q.B. Cooler, as well as putting their own spin on Cutwater’s canned Piña Colada which will be served blended from a frozen pineapple.

“I’m honored to be working with Cutwater Spirits to bring PKNY back to life, and it’s a sincere pleasure to be reunited with the old-school crew behind the bar after all these years. I’m especially proud that our efforts will benefit a cause dedicated to supporting bartenders in need,” said Richard Boccato, owner of PKNY and Hundredweight Ice.

The pop-up will also feature a kaleidoscope of colorful lighting, freshly tagged work from PKNY’s original graffiti artist Ivory TM7, an ambient set from their house DJ, custom bento boxes and other surprises to celebrate summer’s last call.

A limited number of tickets are on sale here for $50 per person and include PKNY and Cutwater canned cocktails as well as tropically-inspired food. For each of the two nights, the pop-up will offer three 90-minute spots at 6pm, 7:30pm, and 9pm with a 30-person maximum per service from October 7 to October 8.