While most people are just looking for some cheap thrills this October, some New York business owners are seeing a real opportunity to pad their bottom lines. From themed cocktails to seasonal decor, the city’s nightlife is leaning hard into the spooky season to draw in the crowds.
The seasonal shift is already hitting the books for some East Village staples. Kavé Pourzanjani, who runs the Paradise Lost bar in the East Village, told the New York Post that “October is easily our busiest time of year.” This spooky-themed spot uses horror-inspired decor to attract patrons looking for something different from a standard tropical lounge.
Spooky Season Profits
The New York Post reports that these limited-run Halloween concepts are proving that there is real money to be made through seasonal chaos. Some bars are even using horror-themed elements, like fake vampire blood, to differentiate themselves from the standard minimalist cocktail trends. Mandy Naglich, an expert and author of “How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life,” told the Post that “Halloween bars are fun because they are, by definition, limited edition.”
Pourzanjani’s bar, Paradise Lost, which opened in 2023, draws inspiration from punk rock and EC Comics, including the famous “Tales from the Crypt” series. According to reports, the owner wanted to avoid standard Tiki tropes to focus on the more unusual parts of the genre, often resulting in long weekend waitlists for guests.
Competition or Coexistence?
It isn’t just bars looking to capitalize on the season; local shops are also working through changes in the neighborhood. As reported by Gothamist, a new Barnes & Noble is set to open at the corner of East 11th Street and Avenue A next month. This puts the giant chain directly across from The Rabbit Books and Bar, an independent shop that opened this past summer.
While a massive chain moving in can feel like a threat, some local owners see an opportunity. Marianna Vaidman Stone, a co-owner of The Rabbit, told Gothamist, “To have two similar businesses on a street corner makes it a little bit of a destination for people who are interested in that sort of thing,” and she added, “I’m hoping it will be a multiplier effect.”
The Street-Level View
We’ve seen this movie before in New York. Whenever a big player moves into a neighborhood, the regulars start worrying about the small guys getting squeezed out. But if the local shops can turn their street into a destination, they might just survive the pressure.
The idea is that a heavy foot-traffic area benefits everyone. If you have a massive bookstore drawing people to the block, the small shops nearby should, in theory, see more eyes on their windows. It’s a gamble on whether the “multiplier effect” Stone mentioned actually happens or if the big players just swallow the neighborhood’s character.
Whether it’s a seasonal cocktail or a new bookstore, New Yorkers always show up for something interesting.
