Kolo Klub Opens with First Big Bash

Hoboken can now celebrate weddings, birthdays and other occasions in a new event space and cocktail lounge that evokes the style and sophistication of Bohemian Europe.

The Kolo Klub inaugurated itself with a special invitation-only party on Thursday night. The event space, located on the second floor of the building that houses the beer garden, is a collaboration between the Pilsener Haus owners, Andy Ivanov and Ladi Sebestyan, and chef Anthony Pino and his wife Liz Pino, who own the restaurants and .

Ivanov said he and Sebestyan and the Pinos have shared a mutual admiration since the Pilsener Haus opened in Hoboken last summer and they met the Pinos, who have been longtime fixtures in town. Ivanov said he and Sebestyan had always had plans to use the second floor space since moving into the building, and found the Pinos shared their vision for a catered events hall.

“We decided let's put these two major forces together and put out something Hoboken hasn't seen yet,” Ivanov said.

The 4,000 square foot event space, like the beer garden below it, blends the building's former industrial design with the dark but alluring Bohemian style developed in Ivanov and Sebestyan's native Czech Republic and Slovakia. Ivanov described the space, named after the Czech word for bicycle, as urban, mature and having an edge.

Chef Pino, who had been looking for a new home for his AD Catering company before partnering with Ivanov and Sebestyan, said he wants the food the Kolo Klub serves to match its edgy décor.

“We're bringing these two brands together to create a different kind of experience,” Pino said. "We want to push the limits on food here, and do things that no one else is doing."

Vince Crysler, the director of operations for AD Catering, will also help run the Kolo Klub.

Crysler called the space versatile and said he'll be able to use it as a whole for parties of up to 200 guests, or divide it for more intimate gatherings, or to host multiple parties concurrently. He said in addition to renting to others the Kolo Klub will host its own events, such as wine tastings and inviting local restaurants to offer food tastings. Even on nights without events the space will still be open as a cocktail lounge.

Like Ivanov and Pino, Crysler said he has high expectations for the event space. “We have to deliver the best every night,” he said. “That tray of food is only as good as tonight.”

For more information on the Kolo Klub, including on making arrangements for parties, visit the Kolo Klub website.

Coming soon: Enjoy beers on the pier; plus, Luxe retools

The Business Beat covers businesses opening, closing, renovating, relocating and celebrating anniversaries in the Mile Square. Have a Hoboken related business tip? Send an email to alanskontra@hotmail.com.