Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/10329
BRAND PROFILE FIVE STAR BAR, FIVE STARVODKA S troll into the Five Star Bar in Chicago and you’ll not notice much at first. This classic, rustic watering hole features unique art and obscure pop culture items that seem subtle at first, but catch your eye if you stop to take a look. The bar, launched four years ago, features a corner shrine with a bust of Elvis. That’s cool. But look a little closer and you’ll notice he’s sitting on a throne—yes, that kind of throne. Five Star owner Patrick Poncher notes that’s not all there is about his collection of favorite cool kitsch. There’s a poster of Russ Meyer’s 1965 exploitation film Faster, Pussycat. Kill! Kill! signed by the movie’s star actress, Tura Satana. Not bad either, until you see the autographed mural in the women’s bathroom of Satana, who heard about it while visiting Chicago and had to stop by and see it for herself. “Five Star is kind of a combination of all the things we like: beer, bour- bon, bikers, beauties and rock and roll,” Poncher says of the décor. “We have Motorcycle Monday for bikers the first Monday of each month, and it’s just grown organically from there.” Poncher says the idea is to keep the bar interesting, fun and subtly unique. One of the keys to that is providing fresh new drinks for Five Star’s diverse clientele and that’s where EFFEN has found a following as well. “I definitely think the EFFEN Black Cherry stands out from others,” Poncher says. “We go through a ton of Black Cherry.” www.fivestarbar.com Five Star owner Patrick Poncher says EFFEN keeps things interesting for his diverse clientele. may 2010 / the tasting panel / 99