[Photo courtesy of Charlie Papaceno]
One of the city's finest and most beloved bartenders, Charlie Papaceno, formerly of The Windmill Lounge, is preparing to open his first solo venture: Industry Alley, located at 1713 S. Lamar in The Cedars, will host a sneak peek party on June 8. Papaceno's been working on the space since November, but in the meantime he's also been battling what a press release calls "an aggressive form of cancer."
The event, hosted by USBG, will serve as a fundraiser for Papaceno and his ongoing medical expenses. The event goes from 2 to 8 p.m. and will feature guest bartenders from all over Texas, a pig roast courtesy of Lucia sous chef Justin Holt, a silent auction featuring "multicourse dinners with cocktail pairings for up to six people" from various DFW restaurants, and a pretty epic-sounding bartender battle involving giant Twister. $20 at the door gets you food and two cocktails; additional drink tickets are $5, but hit the ATM first because it's a cash-only event.
As for an official opening date for Industry Alley — stay tuned. Papaceno says he's "still entangled in city and TABC red tape with no opening date nailed down" just yet.