Now you see it. Now you don't. Blink and you might just miss Spokane's newest bar experience and event space, Servante.
Named for the secret compartments in a magician's prop, Servante is the newest idea to pop out of Kris Kilduff and Tabatha Lowe's hat. The two Spokane creatives have come up with an imaginative, immersive experience that is sure to keep Spokane guessing.
The spot on Division's downtown nightclub corner formerly known as Boombox Pizza is now Servante (pronounced ser-VAHNT). Far from an ordinary bar, Servante is a blank canvas that can be transformed into new Instagrammable experiences at the flick of a magic wand. Pop-up bars, private dinners, special events — if you can dream it, it can happen.
"It just comes from having lots of ideas and not being stuck in one realm," Kilduff says.
A co-founder of Calliope Creative Media with Lowe, Kilduff is also a creator and administrator of Food Finder Spokane, a one-stop Facebook page for everything yummy in the city. He's seen plenty of restaurants come and go, and been privy to what eaters and drinkers in the city are clamoring for.
"Places need to be more experimental and experiential," he says.
Lowe, a longtime bartender and current bar manager at Peking North, says it just takes two creatives and some open space to let the magic begin.
Servante's opening act is a ticket to sugar-dusted and chocolate-crusted, lollipop-littered and gumdrop-glittered, Candyland. From April 3 through 7, take a live-action trip through a 15-foot gingerbread house, a fully stocked candy bar by Fluffy's Candy, and a dessert bar featuring Breaüxdoo Bakery, The Scoop, Lush Cotton Candy and Donut Parade. Lowe is dreaming up plenty of candy-garnished cocktails, and cosplaying bartenders will be dressed head-to-toe as King Frosty, Queen Frostine, Lord Licorice, or maybe even Plumpy.
"If you're trying to find a place to drink in the city, you can throw a rock," Kilduff says. "What it really comes down to is doing something really fun, something really unique."
The $10 cover is a one-time charge that whisks you into Candyland as many times as you like. Different bartenders sling cocktails each night. A DJ spins some sweet jams Friday and Saturday, while Sunday is more geared toward food industry folks. But no matter what, there will definitely be plenty of fantastical photo ops, sugar-induced comas and candy-colored booze every night.
And this is just the beginning.
"Imagine turning into a pinball bar for the summer, all the way to October and it's a full Stephen King bar," Kilduff says. "If we have a new Star Wars movie coming out, why don't we turn into a Star Wars bar? Comicon's in town — why aren't we doing a comicon thing? Can we fill the entire place up with bubbles?"
The ideas are endless. But keeping track of all the tricks takes a keen eye.
"There are definitely some hidden rabbit things that people need to find if they haven't already," Lowe hints. ♦
Servante Presents: Candyland • April 3-7; times vary • $10 cover • Servante • 221 N. Division St. • Instagram: @servantespokane
