A Casual Cocktail Bar Is Taking Over the Now-Closed Victory Bar Space

The newly vacant space once home to Victory Bar won’t stay empty for long. A new cocktail bar is opening within the SE Division locale this summer, sticking to an unpretentious schtick and classic pub food.

The Automatic comes from Andrew Finkelman, who spent five years as the bar manager at The Old Gold before moving over to Tough Luck. “I decided I wanted to do my own thing,” he says. “Victory Bar was open for 13 years and it was a classic bar, so I’m keeping the bones. I think people who liked Victory Bar will like The Automatic.”

Finkelman is giving the bar a fresh coat of paint to brighten up the space, also switching up the cocktail menu. Chef Micheal Kitchen, who previously spent time at Jackknife, is designing a menu of “comfort pub food,” while Finkelman works with Eem bartender Hannah Pare to design the cocktail menu; everything is in its preliminary stages, but the owner says the bar should have a balance of fun, playful drinks and classic cocktails like old fashioneds and Manhattans. The Automatic should open in late July.

• Division Street Staple Victory Bar is Closing Tonight [EPDX]
• The Old Gold [Official]
• Previous Tough Luck coverage [EPDX]