In what has now become a tradition, hip establishment Port Autonomy (PA) is once more closing its doors—with a promise to return next year.
The final party of its latest incarnation at the former Union Bar & Grill on Strand Road in downtown Yangon falls on New Year’s Eve.
Union manager 57 Below will then bring the venue under its Parami Pizza brand. Meanwhile, PA creator Pun + Projects is scouting for other Yangon locations to reintroduce the bar with an outdoor space.
“Thank you for the support from all our customers, who we consider to be our extended family,” Pun + Projects founder Ivan Pun told Myanmar Mix.
“We are in the process of closely identifying a place we can move to in the second quarter of next year.”
Despite attracting praise for its exciting menu and creative cocktails, Pun said he made the “difficult decision” to close because the space was “probably a little too big” and feedback swayed towards having an outdoor area just like previous versions of PA.
PA began life at Lanthit Jetty in 2014 before moving to a colonial villa garden in Bahan township, where it stayed until April 2016.
Teasing Yangonites with pop-ups at Yangon Zay in the interim, its collaboration with 57 Below saw it launch in Strand Road in May.
Pun + Projects also has another venture in the pipeline—a “Korean concept” set to open late February above the lifestyle agency’s Locale café at the Central Boulevard on Kabar Aye Pagoda road
“It will be an innovate approach to Korean food that will integrate elements of retail and food together,” said Pun.
Back on Strand Road, expect live music as well as cocktail and wine events at the coming Parami Pizza, which is scheduled to open in mid January after a “gentle renovation,” said Nikki Barltrop, chief operating officer of 57Below.
“We have loved every minute of working with Pun + Projects on Port Autonomy,” she said. “But we are excited to bring the full Parami Pizza experience to downtown Yangon, not to mention a great new cocktail programme from Jen, Khaing Htun and the team.”
