Inspired by success of Christmas pop-up, Old Town bar designs a tropical summer version

The 2023 Christmas-themed pop-up bars that popped up all over Wichita at places like River City Brewing Co ., The Belmont and Public at the Brickyard , were wildly successful — so much so that reservations became pretty hard to get.

Now, the owners of Public at the Brickyard at 129 N. Rock Island — who over Christmas turned their enclosed patio space into a winter wonderland they called “The Jingle” — are introducing a summertime pop-up bar in the same space.

It’s called “The Wilds,” and it will officially open on Wednesday, May 15, with a tropical disco theme inspired by favorite vacation destinations like Tulum, Mexico, and Miami. To spend time at the pop-up bar — which will be filled with lush plant life, disco balls, macrame and more — people must make reservations, and those who visit will be able to order craft cocktails from an exclusive menu that includes drinks like coconut pineapple margaritas, passion fruit rum cocktails, and hibiscus Mezcal cocktails.

“You go to other cities, and restaurants are doing pop-ups all the time or doing crazy decorations to create moments for people, and we wanted to do something like that,” said Brooke Russell, co-owner of Public. “...Everywhere you walk in Old Town, people are taking photos, and we wanted to kind of elevate that experience and give people more photo opps.”

It’s free to reserve a spot in the pop-up bar, which has about 40 seats. The only exception would be if a band that charges admission is playing on the patio during the reservation. People also can order food from Public’s menu while at the pop-up. A reservation guarantees a table for two hours, Russell said.

People can make reservations now on Public’s website, publicbrickyard.com/oldtownwichitarestaurant . Time slots are available from 5 to 9 p.m. on weeknights and from 5 to 10 p.m. on weekends. (To find reservation times now, click on “reservations” then choose a time and date on or after May 15 at 5 p.m.. Reservations for “The Wilds” will pop up.)

Russell said she hopes to keep the pop-up going through September, and she may extend its hours as the summer season progresses.

Public learned many lessons from its Christmas pop-up, she said, and the staff has used that knowledge to improve the experience at “The Wilds.”

“The Christmas popup was huge for us,” she said. “It really made December a big month for us, and we’re excited to do it again.”