Meet Littlefield’s not-so-little sister!
The owners of Gowanus event space Littlefield opened a massive new outdoor bar and taqueria last week. The new spot, called Parklife, will give folks a place to appreciate Gowanus’s own special brand of fresh air after the curtain falls and the doors close at the venue around the corner, according to owner Julie Kim.
“Since Littlefield is only open for events, we though it would be great to have a neighborhood bar where people can go after the show and hangout outdoors,” Kim said.
The new spot, located on Degraw Street between Third and Fourth avenues, directly behind Littlefield’s location on Sackett Street, offers eight beers on tap, 10 speciality cocktails, and Mexican fare courtesy of acclaimed Prospect Heights eatery El Atoradero. Drinkers can grab their brews from the windows of a modified shipping container in the yard, or step into the small indoor area with a kitchen and full bar.
But the main draw is Parklife’s 4,000 square feet of tastefully landscaped, outdoor party space, which is dotted with picnic tables for al fresco drinking. The courtyard has been designed to alter its vibe with the season, with a variety of different flora blossoming in the fall and spring, according to Kim.
“It’s intended to change seasonally, or, at least, in theory it should,” she said. “We’ll see how they do.”
Kim and her business partner Scott Koshnoodi purchased the old print shop where both Littlefield and Parklife are located after their old landlord declined to renew the lease on their previous Degraw Street property a few doors away, where the old Littlefield was located.
Their original plan was to use the entire property for one massive event space, but zoning laws prevented them from having all their fun under one roof, said Kim.
“We envisioned a larger version of Littlefield, but zoning laws forbid it, so we split it up,” she said.
The owners set up a Kickstarter page to help cover moving expenses and to establish Parklife. Supporters raised more than $31,000 for fans of the venue, some sending money from as far away as Europe.
And in case the question comes up at one of Littlefield’s many trivia events: Parklife was named after Kim and Koshnoodi’s favorite Blur album.
Parklife (636 Degraw St. between Third and Fourth avenues in Gowanus, www.parkl
