At Sable Lounge, 2 East Bay bar pros are building the neighborhood hangout they always wanted

Bar industry veterans Chris Woodcoff and Tinah Bean, who worked together at the Kona Club, had long planned to open a bar in Oakland.

When a spot that had been home to multiple previous bars opened up on Grand Avenue, they felt they had the right concept for the location.

“A good cocktail lounge where people can just hang out,” Bean said.

They had a vision for what they wanted and felt the area could use, a warm, neighborhood bar, but landing on a name was maybe the hardest part. Eventually, they dubbed it Sable Lounge.

“It got to the point where we couldn’t fill out any more paperwork without a name,” Woodcoff said. “Tinah liked Sable because it was a synonym for dark and moody, the feeling she was looking for.”

As they tried out names, they learned that a sable is also a type of weasel. They embraced the notion of using the sable-as-weasel in their logo, and a graphic artist friend created one for them. Soon after they opened, a woman named Sable came in, curious to know why they’d named a bar after her.

Chris Woodcoff and Tinah Bean worked together at Kona Cub and discussed opening a bar together for a while before making the move. Credit: Richard H. Grant for East Bay Nosh

There are several nods to the watering holes that previously occupied the location. Woodcoff and Bean are restoring the arches over the bar from the days of Libertine; they kept the “lounge” from Kingman’s Lucky Lounge in the name, and a few of the monkeys from the most recent incarnation, The Barbary, grace the walls. Woodcoff emphasized that they didn’t want a “complete erasure” from the past, and are making a point with these choices.

They decided to focus on two spirits, rum, which has a long history as a favored liquor in the Bay, and mezcal, which is one of the fastest growing sectors of the liquor industry. Bean acquired her knowledge of rum while working at the Kona Club, where Woodcoff was manager, but at the Sable Lounge, “we didn’t want to go Tiki. We are trying to be the most non-fussy place, with simple but tasty cocktails and something for everybody.”

Sable Lounge offers a full liquor menu, but boasts particularly wide selections of both rum and mezcal. Credit: Richard H. Grant for East Bay Nosh

Woodcoff points out the lineup of bottles that sit on the shelves behind the bar: “They’re all arranged by region and type.” You’ll see varieties of rum from Jamaica, Haiti, Barbados, Trinidad, the French Caribbean and South America, among others. Likewise, the many smoky varieties of mezcal are grouped by region. Bean stresses that even though Sable features rum and mezcal, “we can still make all the drinks.”

The most popular drinks at Sable since it opened in late April are the Hibiscus Mezcalita (their version of a Margarita with Mezcal, fresh lime, hibiscus and allspice) and the Sable Daiquiri (Jamaican rum, fresh lime, banana liqueur, allspice). All the cocktails are priced at $13. A daring and eye-catching drink on the menu is the Buddy Boy, made with rye, mezcal, agave, chocolate and tobacco bitters. The “little beer and little shot” special runs $10. As with many bars these days, Sable Lounge also offers several non-alcoholic drinks.

“All the drinks were workshopped over the last couple of months,” Bean said, and plans are in the works for rum and mezcal flights.

There is a pool table in the back of the lounge because, Woodcoff and Bean say, “We always wanted a pool table, and we both actually play pool!” Also in the back are shelves full of games, with an informal group of D&D players meeting on Thursdays. The idea, says Bean, is “to create a warm, inviting environment where everyone is welcome.” This includes the neighborhood dogs who have become accustomed to receiving water and treats from previous bar owners during evening walks.

With an eye toward making Sable Lounge a neighborhood hangout, there is a selection of games for customers to play. Credit: Richard H. Grant for East Bay Nosh

“We have some permits in process for the outdoor parklet,” Woodcoff said, and the décor at Sable is still in progress but, the outside seating is available for use now. Bean wants to add some “statement pieces and a mosaic on the back wall,” while Woodcoff mentioned adding works by 20th-century artists from Mexico and Central and South America. In addition to his bartending skills, Woodcoff is handy with wood: he created the tabletops and the woodwork behind the bar from salvaged pieces.

They are also pursuing an entertainment permit so the bar can host DJs, small bands and events in the future. No food is served, so patrons can bring outside food to accompany their drinks.

Bean and Woodcoff have worked together off and on since 2013. Bean got her first job as a hostess at a steakhouse. In addition to bartending for 14 years, she’s worked as a dishwasher, a server, and a barback. “I’ve always liked talking to people and making drinks,” she said.

Woodcoff and Bean test out the new pool table they added to the Sable Lounge. Credit: Richard H. Grant for East Bay Nosh

Woodcoff lives nearby and has worked in several East Bay establishments. Woodcuff and Bean are delighted to be in a neighborhood with a lot to offer, especially Walden Pond Books, the Grand Lake Theatre, the Alley, Smitty’s, and all the other businesses on the block. Neighbors have started popping in to say hello and check out the new lounge. They have been encouraged to expand their hours, bringing more business to the area seven days a week.

“I always wanted to own a business, like a record and plant shop … but it seemed more like a hobby,” Bean said. “I’m very grateful to have followed a dream. This space is perfect. Chris and I worked really hard to get here.”

The Sable Lounge is currently open Wednesdays through Saturdays, but Woodcoff and Bean hope to extend the operating hours in a couple of weeks with additional staff.

Sable Lounge opened at the end of April in the former location of The Barbary on Grand Avenue. Credit: Richard H. Grant for East Bay Nosh

Tags: