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Mahiki opens Park Lane whisky club for bankers in their 40s
Benedict Moore-Bridger, Evening Standard9 Jun 2008
The owners of Prince Harry's favourite night spot are to open a new venue in London, the Evening Standard has learned.
Piers Adam and Nick House, the brains behind Mahiki, one of the capital's best-known clubs, are also hoping to expand around the world. Mahiki, opposite The Ritz in Piccadilly, has been a huge success since Prince Harry's best friend Guy Pelly was employed as its promotions manager, attracting the custom of princes William and Harry and their friends, such as Kate Middleton.
The next venture for Mahiki's owners, Whisky Mist, will open on the former Zeta site at the Hilton in Park Lane.
Speaking in this month's edition of Square Meal, the duo said their plan was to attract "private bankers who live in Kensington and St John's Wood" rather than socialites.
Mr House said: "Whisky Mist will be highly aspirational, and a bit more serious than Mahiki.
"It's not going to be a young place, the clientele will be 40-year-old guys. The market we're going for is very international. Their natural drink is whisky, which is seen as being chic everywhere apart from Britain.
"We want Whisky Mist to have a British feel but to make it sexy and chi-chi. A certain type of person goes out in Park Lane. Whisky Mist is between China Tang and Nobu. The location is almost a statement."
Mr Adam said: "It's a phenomenal area. I walked into Soho the other day and I thought it was really dirty and grey. It's very media, and it suits that.
"But in Mayfair you've property companies, hedge funds, private banking. And Whisky Mist will be really pertinent for a core sector of those industries. Currently, the only chic bar in Mayfair is Claridge's. So all these people who might dine at Scott's or Cipriani have nowhere to go just for a drink." With Jade Jagger-designed keyrings, the idea for the club was formulated during a number of trips to Sardinia, Capri, St Tropez and Monaco. Mr House said: "It's a tough life. You surround yourself with these people and talk about everything with them.
"You understand their price points, their habits, what time they go out, what time they come back. Otherwise they're not going to bother with what you're offering them."
Speaking about Mahiki as a "democratic" club, Mr House said: "The vision with Mahiki is that whether you're fat, thin, bald, ugly or old, you can get in. Admittedly, when it gets to 11pm, it might be more difficult. But certainly, until it reaches capacity, anyone can get in. Anyone with a bad attitude or a chip on their shoulder isn't Mahiki."
While Whisky Mist might not be Mahiki mark II, the pair have plans to export the Mahiki brand, as well as Whisky Mist, around the world.
Mr Adam said: "We'll use London as the shop window, and once we've got it spot on, we'll see how to take these concepts abroad. I can definitely see Whisky Mist being in 20 cities around the world."
