Agency, Milwaukee's unique pop-up cocktail lounge where every drink can be made with or without alcohol, will soon move into its permanent home at the Dubbel Dutch Hotel, bringing its experimental cocktail menu to the heart of downtown.
In the morning, when Agency isn't open in the space, it will transform into Novel, an English tea and pastry service for the public and guests of the hotel. The concepts should be open in the new space by the beginning of August.
Agency, by the owners of Discourse Coffee, is currently operating as a pop-up at the coffee shop's downtown location, 1020 N. Broadway, on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 7:30 p.m.
The move to 817 N. Marshall St. will allow Agency to expand its offerings, from 24 drinks currently (12 drinks with alcohol and 12 without), to 36 to 40 drinks.
"The offerings will be very similar to what were offering right now: a focus on experimental and innovate seasonal cocktails," said owner Ryan Castelaz. "We'll also have more of your classics. We'll be able to make a Manhattan or gimlet or a daiquiri or whatever it is you'll be wanting to enjoy that night."
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Agency also will offer both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beer and wine by the glass or bottle.
The new space will allow Agency to take reservations, along with an option for a private room with seating for up to 16 people. Those making reservations can add on tastings of three, five or seven courses from Agency's new cocktail tasting menu. The tasting menu has not yet launched at Agency's pop-up. Like anything in the bar, the tastings can be made alcoholic, nonalcoholic, or a "hybrid" combination of the two.
"The hybrid is what we think tastes the best," Castelaz said. "For example, we have on our current menu a drink called mango sticky rice; that one is better nonalcoholic. We also have a smoked Manhattan, and that one is better with alcohol. That way each cocktail can perform differently and shine in a different format."
Castelaz said their current setup limited them from expanding Agency because they flip the coffee shop to a bar every weekend, which takes a lot of labor and isn't set up like a full bar.
The Dubbel Dutch space is already outfitted with a bar, which previously served drinks as the Gülden Room cocktail lounge, operated by F Street Development Group which continues to own the building and operate the hotel.
Castelaz said the general manager of the hotel approached him about taking over the space after F Street got out of the bar industry.
"This is a beautiful building, but it’s a tough property, set off a little from the main drag of downtown. We have to do something destination-worthy," Castelaz said.
With the new location being near the Northwestern Mutual downtown campus and other high-rise office buildings, Agency will be open for happy hour at the new space. Castelaz said exact hours were still being determined.
Agency's hybrid concept is rare
Castelaz has been working on creating a successful nonalcoholic concept for years.
He was part of the team behind Crossroad Collective's nonalcoholic Counter Day Bar, which existed from February to July 2023.
Through that concept, Castelaz learned that offering only nonalcoholic options didn't work, and he instead needed to offer both options.
"We love the idea of creating safe spaces that aren’t solely based around the concept of alcohol," he said. "People who don't drink, they want to feel included and integrated and have a normal night out. That's what we're trying to do with Agency, give drinkers the agency to make that choice, and for both parties to feel equally appreciated."
He said operating Agency has proved to be more successful.
"It was a proof of concept to find out if people were interested. We've learned that people do want this," he said. "I'd say the biggest gripe we face at Agency is we can't accommodate enough people because we are a pop-up and seating is limited."
The concept has been praised on the national scale with Forbes Magazine saying it is likely the first hybrid concept in the country, which Castelaz said was validating.
"How many times can you be the first to do something? That doesn't happen very often, and we hope that it will attract people from all over the world," he said.
Novel tea room
With Agency becoming the star of its new space, the morning service will come in as a pop-up concept.
Castelaz will bring in a tea cart and pastry towers with baked goods and sandwiches primarily serving guests of the Dubbel Dutch Hotel, but still available to outside patrons.
Novel's tea service is known as English "afternoon tea," meaning it is more casual than "high tea," and not indicative of the time of service as Novel will be open in the morning.
"What we want to do with Novel is an afternoon tea that feels contemporary," Castelaz said. "It is something that your grandma would enjoy, but not something just your grandma would enjoy. It's for a younger, more modern crowd."
The name Novel comes from the curated reading selection that will be available to patrons of the lounge.
Castelaz also was given the reins to the hotel's kitchen. He plans to move Discourse Coffee's pastry program to the Dubbel Dutch Hotel.
For nighttime offerings, Castelaz plans to bring in rotating chefs. The first concept coming to the space will be NaKorn Urban Thai, based in Evanston, Illinois.
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