Just open: StoryVille Melbourne

Once upon a time – well, last week – VenueNow were invited to take a look at new CBD nightspot, StoryVille. Part bar, part function space, and part whimsy, StoryVille is a venue dripping in phantasmagoric features. It’s like the grown-up version of every kid’s fantasy themed party.

The concept, from the creative minds of dynamite hospo duo Steve Thomas and Keti Kezunovic of 29th Apartment and Pawn & Co fame, is designed to instil a sense of wonder and child-like excitement, without appearing juvenile. It’s a fine balancing act, one which this venue pulls off with a flourish.

Guests were invited up a winding set of stairs to the first floor, home to the Mushroom Palace cocktail lounge and Bird Cage. Magical, pastel mushrooms are dotted around the room, seemingly growing from the walls. The bar itself looks like a fallen tree, resting on the forest floor. The theme is consistent in every detail: from the decor, to the menu. The cocktail list is a veritable roll call of fantastic classics, from the smoky War & Peace, through to the milky concoction inspired by A Clockwork Orange. The Roald Dahl-inspired New York Peach was the welcome cocktail of choice, complete with freeze-dried worm (bonus points for commitment to the theme with this one).

Before long, the Mushroom Palace was buzzing with excited chatter. Guests clearly enjoyed exploring the space, peeking around every corner, scanning the room, taking in every inch.

Upstairs, the magical journey continued, this time, to Narnia. A dark wooden stretched bar services the thirsty masses hopping off the dancefloor. To the side is a sectioned library area, complete with book-spine aesthetic and furry wall feature. A furry wall feature that, after a few Grapes of Wrath cocktails, will definitely invite wall pats from curious patrons.

At the end of chapter one, the scene was set. Now to see how StoryVille unfolds.