Tucked away in a landmark 19th-century townhouse facing NoHo’s storied Bond Street is a brand-new neighborhood watering hole paying tribute to a departed local legend. Jac’s on Bond takes shape in the former digs of The Smile, a snug café where Authentic Hospitality laid roots and built a community of loyal regulars and friends before opening some of New York’s most in-demand bars and nightlife destinations in Pebble Bar, Ray’s, and Bar Calico. Those regulars—many friends of Jack Champlin, the beloved “Mayor of Bond Street and the bar’s enigmatic namesake—will feel at home thanks to a cozy revamp by Gachot Studios that injects tasteful touches while preserving the townhouse’s character.
“We wanted to open a place that felt like a casual hangout for our Bond Street neighbors,” said John and Christine Gachot, whose firm mixes warm minimalism with dashes of theatricality to momentous effect. “But also elevated and expertly executed, where adults could gather around a well-made cocktail and meet each other—a lost art in New York!” Sip on the signature Caprese Martini while leaning against the St. Laurent–topped marble bar, where cocktails are mixed among vintage 1920s sconces and a mahogany mirror perched behind. Downstairs, velvet seats built into arched niches forge a decadent, speakeasy vibe. Adorning the walls throughout are Janette Beckman’s photographs of New York hip-hop artists of the ‘80s and ‘90s, many of whom made their names in the area—after all, it’s important to remember your roots.
