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There was much hullabaloo when the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was cancelled late last year. For a while it seemed the bedazzled bras, faux feather wings and heels—so tall and precarious that models often fell on stage—would just be left on the cold, dark runway.
Astoria’s Secret has no affiliation with Lady V, but it's a new speakeasy bar tucked behind a lingerie shop, hoping to bring a similar energy to Queens. It's seemingly place where you could imagine bachelorette parties, themed burlesque nights, and, yes, an Angels pre-game holding court.
“The Lingerie Shoppe is not a retail store per say but actually the storefront facade..It acts both as a first look into the theme of the bar as well as a foyer to both greet and register guests who then come through a secret curtain located below a Fitting Room sign entering the bar and lounge area hidden behind the storefront,” shares owner and lifelong Queens resident, Debra Istwan, via email with Time Out New York.
There's a dress code. No tank tops or sloppy looks permitted. And, for what it's worth, the site says men must be 23+ to enter and women 21+. The staff wears items from its in-house line of lingerie, much like at The Playboy Club...minus the bunny ears.
Inside the bar you’ll find a neon sign that says “She’s a Killer Queen” and colorful busts made by local artists, velvet furniture and high-heel shaped chairs (where do you find those?). Istwan sees the storefront as an opportunity to display local talent.
Cocktails include “The Bombshell” and the “Sultry Mule Martini.” And there will be bites such as empanadas and mac 'n cheese available.
The idea for the bar came about when Istwan and her boyfriend of 10 years looked around Astoria and felt it did not have the same “upscale Manhattan style” with a more “personal vibe and atmosphere.” Currently, in their soft launch, they will have a grand opening in February, during which they’ll continue to celebrate Valentine’s Day throughout the whole month.
“We feel that Astoria is one of the greatest, up-and-coming neighborhoods in New York, a diverse melting pot made up of amazing people, fine restaurants and quality bars,” she said. “We couldn’t think of a better community in which to bring this type of elegant and intimate venue celebrating women, artistic beauty and vintage glam.”
If you’ve ever needed a drink after you shop for the right bra, this is for you.
The Lingerie Shoppe at Astoria’s Secret can be found at 28-53 Steinway Street (off 30th Avenue), Astoria, New York 11103.