Bar Shiru
The Bay Area's very first Vinyl-Listening Bar read more...
**WINNER OF THE 2020 PCBC INTERIOR RENOVATION GOLD NUGGET GRAND AWARD** The owners of Bar Shiru, the first Bay Area, Hi-Fi listening bar, looked at several potential sites before deciding on the rough concrete, 1500 SF space inside the 1928 historic “Latham Square Building” in Oakland’s Uptown district. Unlike other sites, this space had a variety of small personal zones that connected to a larger communal area, offering inclusivity and openness. But, could the raw industrial double-height space, with its exposed concrete beams and column grid and steel decking be turned into a serene, jazz-focused bar and lounge? Surrounded by Oakland’s bustling bar and nightlife scene (and a stone’s throw from the historic Fox Theater ), Bar Shiru provides a sharp contrast to the loud, overflowing bars on the same block. Conceived as an analog-only, vinyl record bar, the owners imagined an audiophile quality , mostly- jazz music experience that encouraged intimate conversations while drinking Japanese whiskey and craft cocktails. Groups larger than 6 would be discouraged and seating space would be limited. After the owners sourced the high-end audio equipment, the design highlighted the glass tube amps and vintage-look wood speakers, while simultaneously providing background sound attenuation . The ceilings are covered in 2” thick acoustic sound panels, the jazz photos above the bar are also sound panels and the decorative wood screens diffract sound waves, as does the 15 foot high “record wall”, the feature of the main space. From the owners: “Inspired by some of Tokyo’s incredible hi-fi bars and motivated by the lack of a comparable offering in the Bay Area, we set out to open Bar Shiru, the Bay Area’s first hi-fi vinyl listening bar focused on jazz as the musical jumping off point. Bar Shiru features records played in their entirety on an analog, vinyl-centric sound system in a space built with acoustics as a top priority. We sincerely believe in the connective power of music and hope to use it as a force for good.”