Expanded Hopscotch Whisky Bar offers 'elevated casual' atmosphere

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From the connoisseur to those who are just maybe curious about whisky, education is just a jump, skip and a Hopscotch away.

A newly expanded Hopscotch Whisky Bar in Saint John’s uptown – now located at 47 Cantebury St. – is both a whisky lover’s dream and an opportunity for those who may have limited knowledge of the alcohol to immerse themselves in cocktails, fine food and an atmosphere best described as elegantly laid back. And it’s all intentional, says the establishment’s general manager, Dan Vienneau.

“People have been absolutely wowed by the space,” he said, noting the official opening this past Monday garnered many compliments from customers. “We’ve had great feedback on the food menu. A lot of thought went into the menu because we wanted something that would complement the fine spirits and the cocktails we do at the bar. The style we’ve been going with is elevated casual.”

Hopscotch originally opened just a few doors down on Cantebury in August 2016 with the idea of a small space that would offer a unique experience. It’s popularity grew to the point, Vienneau said, people had to be turned away at the door due to the site’s capacity of 60. While owners Ken and Holly Singh had purchased 47 Cantebury St. without a clear idea of what to do with the property, it became apparent an expansion of the popular bar was an option. The larger space allows for the addition of more seating – to a capacity of more than 200 – but other items customers had been asking for over the years, including food and a patio, which will be opening soon.

“It is definitely upscale but it’s still warm and inviting,” Vienneau said. “We’re not whisky snobs here. We want someone who has been drinking whisky for years and is a connoisseur to come in and someone’s going to meet them at their level and be able to talk about interesting whisky and we also want someone who is intimidated by whisky as a category to be comfortable to come in and not be embarrassed.”

Holly Singh said for anyone who’s never visited the bar it’s a new experience with more than just a new, beautiful setting but also offers a “trendy location with great music, a great vibe and friendly staff.”

But there’s more to the expansion than just that.

Vienneau said the former location allowed whisky tastings that proved popular but because of seating limitations, those tastings could only accommodate approximately 20 people. The new location features a private room downstairs that boasts its own bar, a big screen television, its own sound system and speakers separate from the upstairs area and seats more than 40 people.

“We could rent it out for corporate events and we’ll start hosting all of our whisky tastings,” he said. “There’s really no limit to what we can do with a space that size.”