Avondale’s hip new cocktail bar aims to elevate West Ashley’s nightlife
by Lorne Chambers | Editor
There has been an air of mystery surrounding what’s going on behind the shiny gold door at 15 Magnolia Road. The space, which once housed Voodoo Tiki Bar & Grill and then briefly Caroline’s Aloha Bar, has been closed for some time while undergoing a massive transformation. But what that would be, few people seemed to know.
Rumors swirled around the neighborhood and online. But there have been few clues as to what the new business would be. Then, last month, a black, circular sign, backlit by an alluring red light, appeared on the outside of the building. It read “The Volstad Room.”
Yet the shiny gold door remained locked.
Alas, the mystery is nearly over. This month, The Volstad Room will officially open to an eager West Ashley that has been anxiously awaiting this day. West Of Free Press sat down with co-owner Sam Pisasale, who offered us an exclusive sneak peek at what’s in store.
Along with his team, made up of experienced barmen Jason Stalker and Ben Masto, Pisasale has put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into creating The Volstad Room. For example, that aforementioned shiny gold door? It’s made from a Pennsylvania black walnut tree that Pisasale felled and hewn himself.
Wood from the same tree was milled to make the stunning bar top that runs the length of the place, including its classic, chunky “Chicago bar rail” that Pisasale is particularly proud of. The walls are draped in leather, the lighting is moody, the barstools are as luxurious as any in Charleston, and the floor shimmers with swirling colors beneath a thick, glass-like finish, resembling the marbled surface of a polished bowling ball.
There are three original paintings by mid-century master artist Larry Vincent hanging in the bar. These are the kind of painstaking details that Pisasale, Stalker, and Masto are banking on to make The Volstad Room different from anywhere else in West Ashley. To round out the vibe, Pisasale says he plans to have funky live jazz on occasion.
Pisasale says they want to create the kind of sophisticated neighborhood cocktail bar that’s common in larger cities but has mostly been absent in our part of town. Inspired by European cocktail culture, especially Hamburg’s historic nightlife districts, The Volstad Room will blend classic cocktails and shareable dishes, with thoughtfully designed interiors into a space intended to feel polished without pretension.
“We want to bring something different to West Ashley,” he says. “Even though it’s really sharp, we don’t want to intimidate people. I could see a guy in a suit drinking a can of beer after work, sitting next to a guy who just stepped off his motorcycle, drinking a daiquiri.”
And when he says “daiquiri,” Pisasale is not referring to the syrupy, frozen concoctions served at cheesy beach bars. He’s talking about the classic rum, lime, and cane sugar cocktail that Ernest Hemingway sucked down by the dozen in bars not unlike The Volstad Room everywhere from Paris and Havana.
“We’re going to focus on classic cocktails made the right way,” Pisasale says. “It shouldn’t take 20 minutes to make a drink.”
Masto will head up the
bar program for The Volstad Room. Prior to teaming up with Pisasale and Stalker, Masto was a fixture behind some of the top bars in town, including The Ordinary, Sissy Bar, and Fannie & the Fox.
“This won’t be a beer bar with a dozen taps. We are already well covered in the beer here in West Ashley,” says Pisasale.
There will only be two beers on tap at any time, two cocktails on tap, and two wines on tap, probably a rosé and a Grüner, according to Pisasale. Of course, there will be select canned beers and a meticulously curated wine list.
The food menu will feature small plates and shareable bites inspired by street food from the red-light districts of major international cities, Pisasale says. While he’s keeping the final menu under wraps as the team puts the finishing touches on it, patrons can expect creative takes on classics such as crostini, bruschetta, veal meatballs, and beef tartare. Fresh seafood is also expected to play a starring role, with dishes such as tuna crudo, steamed mussels, poached shrimp, and grilled octopus likely to make an appearance.
The Volstad Room is located at 15 Magnolia Road. The owners say they’re shooting for an official opening on or around July 17. So stay tuned to its social media page for more information.
