The Local in Soft Opening With Brand New Look After Major Refurbishment 

When describing The Local, the word chic probably isn’t what would come to mind, homely and welcoming perhaps but not chic. Well, following a major refurbishment, there is now no better way to describe The Local’s new look!

After being closed for renovations since Aug 14, The Local is now in a very soft opening, the first floor is still undergoing some final finishing touches but the second floor is operational, so we decided to visit yesterday to see what’s what.

With a fresh white, orange and mint green color scheme, parquet flooring and decorative white and green tiles on the downstairs terrace and upstairs balcony the new decor is undeniably swish and gives The Local a distinctly classy vibe. One of the biggest changes is the layout, everything has been opened up so now the stairs aren’t hidden in a corridor, which makes the space feel much larger. The terrace has also been extended out and the spiral staircase removed, with a little coffee shop window being put in the space instead.

Downstairs there are large orange booths along the right and back sides with a line of high marble tables with elegant green chairs in the center, the long bar on the left remains but has been given a nice revamp. Upstairs, the bar has been given a complete overhaul and more seating has been added with mint green booths and comfy orange chairs. For fans of playing pool, don’t worry the pool table is still at the back!

Along with the renovations, The Local’s menu has also been given an overhaul and returned to its former glory after covid forced them to downsize it significantly. We decided to reach out to The Local’s owner Kenn Bermel to get the full lowdown on the refurb, updated menu and future plans.

Hi Kenn, the refurbishment looks great! Why was it you decided to do a big renovation?
Some of it was necessity, and some of it was vanity. There was a lot of water damage, and some legacy stuff from before we even opened that needed to be replaced. Furthermore, many restrictions have been lifted, so we’ve been able to do things we’ve wanted to for a while, but couldn’t. For example we’ve been able to expand the patio, and make it level with the first floor.

Can you tell us a bit about just what the renovations have involved? What are some of the biggest changes?
Our kitchen is brand new, and we’ve gained a bit more space and seating for customers. I think the biggest change that customers will notice is the new design and layout. We aimed to give the place a fresh new look while holding on to what makes us The Local.

Last year, the menu got downsized somewhat, it’s now been updated again, what’s different about the new menu, any new dishes you’re excited about?
The covid era wreaked havoc on our menu, and we had to drop quite a few items that we’ve been able to bring back. We’ve also added a few new things here and there, but the current menu is actually a soft launch menu. A lot of what I’m excited about hasn’t been added just yet!

A big update to the menu last year was the addition of ten different variations of mac and cheese, are they still on the menu?
We’ve kept the most popular of them and may experiment a bit with new seasonal options. 

Are there any changes to the drinks menu or new items on there?
Not quite yet – but that is on the horizon, too!

With the new renovations do you have any new events or weekly promotions planned?
We will be retooling some of our daily deals, but we aren’t ready to go with them just yet. Tuesday Trivia and Wings Wednesday aren’t going anywhere, but we will be adding Taco Tuesday, karaoke nights, and more as soon as we can.

Do you have a date for the official soft opening in mind and what hours will The Local be open over the holiday? 
I’m not certain yet, but we’re likely looking at a proper soft launch this weekend (Sep 29-Oct 1). We won’t be 100 percent complete, but we’ll be close enough to open to the public.

We will be open over the holiday, though I’m not sure we can open in the daytime just yet either. If we can’t, we’ll most likely be open from 5pm until 1am on weekdays, and later on Friday and Saturday.

READ: Brunches To Treat Yo’Self to Over Golden Week

Images: courtesy of The Local, Marlon Ma