The Abstract, a locally owned cocktail lounge, is now open for business at 1126 Broadway, in the heart of the city’s “arts district”.
Seeking to live up to its name as well as its environs, the space is filled with locally commissioned art and offers expertly crafted cocktails, along with a curated menu of gourmet dishes, explains its founder and co-owner, Kyle Dager.
Live music, local shows, and exclusive events designed for creativity and connection complete the experience he hopes will make the Abstract stand out.
Here WBOI’S Julia Meek discuss the fine points of this creative venture with Dager and what he calls “Fort Wayne’s newest night out” is all about.
Learn more and connect at The Abstract’s website.
This is a transcript of our conversation:
Julia Meek: Kyle Dager, welcome.
Kyle Dager: Hi there.
Julia Meek: So, you are the new kid on that artcentric Broadway Corridor, doing business as the Abstract. Congratulations, by the way. Now three months well into it, what kind of a wild ride has it been, is it being for you?
Kyle Dager: Well, first, thank you. It has been probably the craziest three months of my life. (both chuckle) There has been such a learning curve. I've not ever done any kind of venture like this.
So just like getting up to speed and, you know, trying to really hit the ground running in that specific area that's already thriving and growing and exploding, it's been a fun and wild time.
Julia Meek: Good and you're in a good place, certainly. Now before we explore what it's all about down there, Kyle, when did your passion for all of this, the whole food service, the whole hospitality thing, begin?
Kyle Dager: Yeah, this was actually kind of a surprise to me, and if you told me a year ago that I'd be doing something like this, I probably wouldn't believe you. But I've always had a passion for the hospitality industry, and that's what I went to school for, sport entertainment and event management.
So I'd say, when I was trying to figure out my major and figure out what area I wanted to go into, that's probably where my love for the hospitality industry started.
Julia Meek: Now, as we were speaking off mic, before things started, you had equal interest in sports and other pastimes, pursuits and certainly professions. In the end, what was it about the hospitality that wouldn't let you go?
Kyle Dager: Honestly, just the people. I couldn't imagine working, you know, a desk job, or a regular nine-to-five or something like that. I always kind of knew that I had to do something a little bit more social, a little bit more, I guess, lively,
Julia Meek: Good for you, and knowing it and doing something about it. Okay, then what possessed you to jump into this clever, albeit quite ambitious format that you have found yourself in?
Kyle Dager: Yeah, I don't want to call it a mistake, but maybe, like, a fun surprise, you know, like I said, I went to school for more so event management, and that's kind of what we were looking for six to eight months ago, is an event venue, and this place just kind of fell into our laps.
And maybe we're a little bit ambitious, but we decided that we could, you know, try to own and run a bar. So that's, that's what we decided to do,
Julia Meek: And put the whole package together, then, not skipping events or anything, but just doing it in that place makes sense.
And it is definitely heavy on the big C action, as I like to call it, from all of your literature, Kyle. Culture, community, cuisine, cocktails, that is creativity for, by and from the creatives. There's a couple more C's right there. (both chuckle) Why is that such an appealing combo in this adventure that you, kind of sounds like, almost mysteriously found yourself on.
Kyle Dager: Yeah, anyone who knows me knows I'm pretty bad, I do a lot of alliterations. (laughs)
Julia Meek: Good for you--or bad for you. (both chuckle)
Kyle Dager: Right? But I think it kind of perfectly encapsulates what we're trying to do there. You know, the culture, we're very events driven, the community and the cocktails. I mean, I think that's what a bar is all about, just bringing people together and socializing and having a good time.
Julia Meek: Curious about the cocktail bar. Cocktail bars are a 19th century invention, and they are trending again, you're certainly on the popular and correct track. What's the appeal from both sides of that bar, would you say, being a customer, but also now that you own it.
Kyle Dager: Yeah, I think in a lot of what we did as we were opening is just really making a space that I would want to come to, that would be fun to hang out and have drinks and meet your friends.
And if you've ever been in this space, it's got such a cozy atmosphere, which is another "C" for you, (both chuckle) but it's such a nice environment that you want to go spend time with and hang out and relax. And that's kind of been the basis of what we've done to try to build this up.
Julia Meek: That's the singular reaction. People are loving it, and they are saying, a good "C" there, a very, very comfort driven place. So over and above that, how do you make your cocktail lounge stand out? What does that name actually mean to you? Since you did put that handle on the business, what is The Abstract's hook as well?
Kyle Dager: Yeah, naturally, with having it being known as The Abstract, we want to do everything differently, and that's from the events we have, to the way we operate, to even the drinks on the menu.
Our lead bartender, Eliza, she's like a mad scientist when she gets back behind the bar. (both chuckle) You know, we have cocktail pods that you eat on a spoon. We do a lot of experiential cocktails.
So there's, you know, smoke bubbles and smoke drinks, and there's even some things on fire. So everything, like I said, from the drinks to the food to the events that we have, we just try to be a little bit different,
Julia Meek: Being abstract, and also the abstract artitude of it all. It sounds like that you're into that whole package.
Kyle Dager: Yeah. And I think that's very apparent when you walk in there and even see the art on the walls. That's the main theme that we're going for.
Julia Meek: So that's a big part of it. You grab the eyes and the imagination as well as the appetites and the thirst and...the hunger for creativity.
Kyle Dager: Yeah, you know, because Fort Wayne has no shortage of bars and, like you said, cocktail lounges, so you have to be different. You have to stand out. And I think we're doing a good job of that.
Julia Meek: Sounds like so far. Casual comfort, that is. Two more C words. We like those two words a lot, Kyle. Is it hard to generate?
Kyle Dager: Yeah, I think so. But as long as you're kind of intentional about creating that space that you would want to come hang out in and have the drinks and the food that excites you, like I said, that's, that's how we thought about this since we started, and I think we've done a good job of trying to encapsulate that.
Julia Meek: The ambiance of the room too. It feels like we're in the comfort zone.
Kyle Dager: Yeah, I struggle to describe it sometimes, but to me, it's kind of like if a cozy coffee shop, you know, served alcohol.
Julia Meek: (laughs) Okay, yes, that's certainly fair enough. And by the way, this is an over 21, that's kind of one big communal room the way it's set up, so over 21. And love this too, "Fort Wayne's newest night out," as you bill yourself. So now, what are you offering that no one else does?
Kyle Dager; Like I said, with the cocktails, we try and have a little bit more experiential cocktails. You know, Fort Wayne has amazing bars and cocktail lounges, and you can get good drinks just about anywhere, but we try to bring a little bit of a showmanship, a little bit more fun.
We have a lot of drinks that people will pull their phones out and take pictures of before they even consume it. Just being a little bit different, being a little bit more over the top and showy with our food and our drinks, because it's one of the biggest things that help us stand out.
Julia Meek: And you are on that southwest corner of downtown sensibility, if you will, right there in the old Phoenix building. What a past that whole space carries; any remnants, resident ghosts, anything appear on your watch that you weren't ready to see or have appear?
Kyle Dager: Yeah. Well, my favorite thing since we started this is having people come in and tell me about the dozens of different businesses that it used to be before us. I think it was built in 1883 and it started out as bakery, and then, man, the storied past of it.
I had a gentleman come in there in tears and showed me a picture where he was standing. It used to be a karate studio, and I didn't even know about that. So that's probably my favorite thing.
There's definitely, definitely some remnants of the past. And I think an ode to the past, one of my favorite drinks on the menu is the Phoenix, and I think it does a good job of showing the storied past of that building and trying to bring it back to life.
Julia Meek: A bit of homage, and certainly, the Phoenix as its own symbolism, goes with it. What a fantastic story you carry there. Was there a lot of renovation needing done, by the way, or mostly cosmetic, just to suit your purpose.
Kyle Dager: Yeah, there's a little bit, more so back of the house kind of structural. But once we got up to speed and everything was put in place, there really wasn't a whole lot besides, you know, putting the artwork on the walls.
Julia Meek: That's nice, too, and it does feel like your space, and you have welcomed the whole town to come enjoy.
Kyle Dager: Yeah, you know, maybe that goes back to my hospitality background, but I want it to be someplace that people come in and feel comfortable.
And I mean, there's people at the dining room eating, and then there's people on the other side of the room, you know, sitting on the leather couches and just relaxing, have a drink and catching up with their friends.
Julia Meek: So there is something for everyone, yes, going on at the Abstract. (both chuckle) Now, the best and worst part of refurbing an old space is just that-- it's an old space. Was it difficult to jump into? Were there any old space structural surprises, or anything like that along the way that you had to contend with?
Kyle Dager: Surprisingly, there really wasn't a lot, and thankfully so, because being in a historical building, I know there's a lot of red tape and hoops you have to jump through to do any kind of changes. But thankfully it was minimal changes we had to do.
Julia Meek: Always wonderful. And what about parking? There's plenty of activity. There is parking in that general area. But how do you all work with all of that?
Kyle Dager: Yeah. It's kind of funny, because I always hear a lot of complaints about parking, especially downtown. But the way I like to pitch it is, you know, this is the only place you can get free street parking right out front downtown.
But there's a public lot just around the corner on Wilt Street, and almost every street surrounding us, there is street parking.
Julia Meek: Good points, and Broadway is quickly becoming the walking and bicycling route up and down that corridor anyway. Are you feeling the street scene? Are they finding you and being happy to find you right there?
Kyle Dager: Yeah, it's kind of funny, which might mean that I don't do the best job at marketing, but a lot of people just kind of happen upon us and walk in and say that they didn't even know we were there yet.
So it's cool. I mean, the whole Broadway strip is exploding right now, and tons of people just walking past on, you know, on a weekday, and it's, it's a pretty, pretty cool spot to be.
Julia Meek: Amen, yes it is. What kind of momentum are you feeling along that corridor? It's been going and it's been exploding and it's not letting up. Are you just part of the explosion now?
Kyle Dager: I hope so. (both laugh) um, yeah! Like I said, it's growing at such a rapid pace. And honestly, everyone on that Broadway Arts District, and even on the flip side, on the west central neighborhood, everyone's kind of happy, one for us to be there, and two that we're helping push this growth as well.
Julia Meek: Great. And you are kind of pulling every single thing together there, strategically, you're in a real nice spot. Now let's talk about format.
Besides the social side of bar hopping, you do have the art shows and music shows, and you also have things like trivia nights and all the kind of things that people love. How are your patrons responding to those arts-forward activities? How's that going down?
Kyle Dager: Yeah, we wanted to start off with a few months of just getting our feet steady and, you know, running the actual restaurant and bar. And now we recently started with the events, and we had our first live show, our music show, not too long ago.
And now we're starting to get into the events and very, very art forward. And like I said, with the Abstract, we wanted it to be different. So I'm excited with some of the events that we have planned. I think people will be excited for some fresh entertainment in Fort Wayne.
Julia Meek: What can they look forward to coming up in the next couple months?
Kyle Dager: We're starting our live music. So we'll try to have live music just about every week. The biggest thing that I personally enjoy is the First Fridays on Broadway. We love that we're a part of that now. And we'll be having some lecture series that you might find in like Chicago or New York. We'll have a professor or an expert come in and you can have a cocktail and listen to a lecture on various topics.
Julia Meek: So you're going to be right there for the people on the street. You're going to be "the Abstract" of what they want going on.
Kyle Dager: Yeah! The very different and fresh and fun.
Julia Meek: Does it feel kind of post-covid, things like trivia night? I know you weren't in the business then, but you were planning all of this, you were thinking about all of this. Does it feel like it's finally back to that "new normal" that we're supposed to be in? Is that what you are experiencing right there at your corner on Broadway?
Kyle Dager: Yeah, I think so. And it was definitely one of our biggest concerns. You know that social aspect, are people ready to go back out and do that sort of thing? And ever since we've started, I think the answer has been kind of a resounding yes.
So we just had a packed house with our first live music act. You know, people love our trivia, so I'm pretty excited to say that, yeah, I think people are ready and they're hungry for that social interaction.
Julia Meek: They know you're going to bring it for them too. Yes, very good. And being the new kids on the block, how are you getting along with the neighbors?
Kyle Dager: I could not be more excited with just that strip that we're on. Everyone's been so welcoming and so happy that we're there. I don't want to speak for them, but they've told me a lot that they have needed kind of a bar- restaurant like that, and to be so arts focused. They're pretty excited that we're there.
Julia Meek: And if they're feeling comfortable in a zone that they are used to over some decades, really being able to enjoy things, and you are the new kid on the block and you have brought something in, they're happy with what they're seeing?
Kyle Dager: I hope so. I hope we're a good neighbor for them.
Julia Meek: Seems like you are. Now, with downtown development as well as riverfront development all converging just north of you, what do you anticipate happening next--what should happen next, in your mind, to bring it all together?
Kyle Dager: That's a, that's a good question and a tough question. Fort Wayne's growing and changing and evolving every day. I know there's, you know, plans of an urban trail, a bike path, you know, Electric Works keeps expanding.
And I'm really not sure what to expect, you know, going forward, but I know Fort Wayne and downtown specifically is just going to keep growing. And I hope to be a, you know, continue to be a part of that.
Julia Meek: A big part of that. And you feel pretty hopeful that the momentum is not going to do anything but keep growing for a good long while now?
Kyle Dager: Yeah, I hope so. And I think the momentum is there, especially on Broadway and with the Electric Works campus right next door and the beautiful West Central Neighborhood, so...
Julia Meek: Great place to be, great place to be, and thank you for being there. And last question, what would you like to tell everyone out there about your space, your vision, and what you hope the Abstract celebrates about this entire community that we embrace.
Kyle Dager: I'll go back to my, my "C words," and with the community and culture, if you're looking for someplace that is owned by local and supports local from you know, we have half a dozen local artists on the walls.
We're very intentional about even the beers we put on tap. We try to stick as local as possible, because community is important to us. But if you're looking for a new, fun, fresh night out that you might not typically see in Fort, Wayne, I think we're the place for you.
Julia Meek: Kyle Dager is founder and co-owner of the Abstract. Thanks for sharing your story of this most artcentric endeavor, Kyle, work hard, do well.
Kyle Dager: Thank you.
