The team behind local barber shop brand The Commodore is bringing a cocktail lounge and listening room to Ponce City Market. La Cueva will join the forthcoming fifth location for The Commodore on the second floor of the Central Food Hall, taking over about 2,800 square feet of the 3,500-square-foot space that will house La Cueva and the barber shop.
The Commodore founder Robert Hopper has partnered with longtime team member and master barber Peter Terrones on both the new Commodore location and La Cueva. Terrones initially crafted the idea for a speakeasy concept a few years ago, but Hopper felt it was too far out of his comfort zone. However, when they found the space at Ponce City Market, the speakeasy concept fit well.
“It’s exciting for us,” Hopper told What Now Atlanta. “We have a large clientele that have been following our journey for the last 10 years and are going to be super excited to see the next phase of what we’re doing.”
The team is working with James Beard-recognized chef Luis Damian, known for Atlanta-area concepts like Oaxaca in Chamblee, El Valle in Midtown and Casa Balam in Decatur. The menu will feature Mexican botanas and some larger entrees. The beverage program will include extensive mezcal offering, creative cocktails, beer and wine.
Hopper said that customers can expect more than just traditional Mexican cuisine, with some dishes with creative twists for both the beverage and food offerings.
The atmosphere will feature a slot-canyon style entryway with The Commodore barber shop peeking through. There will be a one-way mirror allowing La Cueva customers to look into The Commodore. Within La Cueva, there will be a small stage for live music, a glowing onyx bar and a dark, moody atmosphere. Hopper describes it as elevated and classy, with a more upbeat nighttime scene following dinner service.
For Hopper, La Cueva marks an exciting evolution for The Commodore brand. Now, he is able to channel the same creativity he enjoys in barbering into a new venture and find new ways to serve his customer base.
“With the La Cueva project, it’s brand new for me,” Hopper said. “I get really excited about new things. I’m more of a pioneering type personality, so combing through spreadsheets and insurance audits and all that stuff doesn’t excite me, but creating a new concept and shaping how it looks and feels and all that — that’s really exciting to me. I’m still in the honeymoon phase with La Cueva, and obviously we haven’t opened yet, but I get a lot of energy out of new endeavors.”
The team is hoping to open La Cueva by the end of the year.
“I’m really excited to provide the next kind of piece of our brand, the next evolution of our brand, and I think that for our customers that have been coming to us for the last 10 years, [it will be cool] to come experience something totally new,” Hopper said. “You can come get your hair cut at The Commodore at Ponce, but you can also bring your wife back, or your husband, for a meal later on, and for some live music.”
