The former Blue 82 space on North Pearl Street on downtown Albany is being redeveloped for an August opening as a bar called Norma’s.
Steve Barnes/Times Union
The lounge Blue 82 was the longest-surviving member of a group of bars and clubs that opened in downtown Albany from 1996 to about 2010. It closed in 2022 after almost 17 years.
Provided by Blue 82
ALBANY — Two city natives who own bars in Brooklyn are developing a neighborhood spot downtown called Norma’s at 82 N. Pearl St., which was home to the bar and lounge Blue 82 for almost 17 years until its 2022 closure.
Paul Hamill and Brandon Lenihan, who graduated from Albany High School in the mid-1990s, are hoping to open Norma’s in August or early September, depending on construction and permitting, Hamill said Thursday. The space, on the corner of North Pearl and Columbia streets, has paper over the windows as the interior is transformed from what had been Healthy Soul, a juice bar open for about nine months in 2023, into Norma’s.
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Hamill described the partners’ vision for it as a comfortable, welcoming spot, projected to be open from noon to midnight daily, that will cater to downtown residents, remote workers who want a place to set up a laptop during the day for coffee or an NA beverage, and people attending events at downtown venues seeking a pre- or post-show drink or bite. He said the low-key feel of Norma’s will be similar to the casual atmosphere at their Brooklyn places, The Adirondack (opened in 2014) and The Barlow (2019), and Lowlands, which Hamill opened in 2010 without Lenihan. All feature casual settings with dark wood, low lighting, signature cocktails, quality beer on draft and cheaper options in cans and bottles, and a small food menu.
“We’re not looking to copy any of them, but that’s the sort of vibe and ambiance we’re going for,” Hamill said. Limited space in the Norma’s basement beer cooler dictates only six to eight taplines to start, and a small, prep-style kitchen without ventilation prevents adding a stove, oven or fryer, he said. Food will include panini, bar snacks, sandwiches and desserts from local bakeries. Lowlands, for comparison’s sake, offers grilled cheese, pickles, soft pretzels and pizza; The Adirondack’s food is similar, replacing pizza with pressed sandwiches.
With five table-service restaurants with full kitchens within about a block and about 10 within a five-minute walk, Norma’s isn’t intended to be a food destination, Hamill said, instead attracting people interested in somewhere to gather with friends for cocktails, conversation and occasional programming. The Adirondack promotes tap takeovers and vinyl listening nights; The Barlow hosts trivia, karaoke and watch parties for shows like the Oscars; at Lowlands, live music and karaoke are featured.
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The building is owned by Troy-based Redburn Development Partners as part of an 11-property portfolio in the North Pearl Street corridor, most with ground-floor retail and upstairs rental apartments. Redburn’s president, Elizabeth Young Jojo, said the company’s downtown investment totals about $100 million so far, and she’s pleased to have operators with a strong track record in hospitality taking over the former Blue 82 space.
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“This corner is an iconic one in downtown, and the opening of their bar is just a small sign of a renewed energy sprouting up around the neighborhood,” she said.
Georgette Steffens, longtime executive director of the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District, echoed Jojo’s sentiments and noted that another new hospitality business, Riilaxx Tavern, took over a vacant restaurant space around the corner from Norma’s earlier this month.
“We’re seeing a resurgence of businesses that cater to people looking to go out after work or find something to do after a show on the weekends, and that’s a big win for downtown,” Steffens said via email.
The new bar’s name had its genesis when the partners were considering opening in a space in Bethlehem and were inspired by the Normanskill creek that divides the suburb from Albany, according to Hamill. They thought about calling their bar Norman’s but preferred the feminized Norma’s, and it stuck.
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“We just liked the ring of it,” he said. “Naming a bar is hard.” (Blue 82 got its name because its owners liked the color blue, which happens to rhyme with the address.)
With a small space and minimal food, Norma’s will be able to run on a limited staff, Hamill said. He expects to hire eight to 12 people to start.
Hamill moved back to his hometown in 2022 with his wife and son, now a preteen. Lenihan lives in Putnam County.
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This column originated in the Table Hopping newsletter, delivered for free via email on Monday and Thursday afternoons. Subscribe at timesunion.com/newsletters/table-hopping.