The Launch

Sam Mason: The Electrician Will Totally Be Done in Ten Days

Johnny Cash died and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.
Johnny Cash died and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.haha Photo: Melissa Hom


Welcome to the latest installment of the Launch, where Sam Mason, former pastry chef at wd-50, relates the ups and downs of preparing to open Tailor, the swanky restaurant and lounge coming together at 525 Broome Street.

“The opening has been pushed back a little, but we decided we’re not going to rush it or stress out. There are just things you can’t foresee, as I’m starting to find out. There were Building Department issues that weren’t as easy to get by as we thought. And the building itself was in worse shape than we thought. For instance, once the walls come down, you realize how unlevel the floor is. So then we had to dig it deeper than planned. We had to jack the floor up, because we’re putting hardwood floors down, and you can’t put them down over a crooked surface. And none of the plumbing was worth a shit. Now we’ve had the bathrooms built out, and the plumbing is in. Downstairs, we’re boxing out the walls. One was at a weird angle. We thought about leaving it but decided a square wall was more conducive to everything fitting right. A straight bar against an angled wall looks funny. Next week they’re bringing in the air-conditioning and exhaust systems. We’re almost there: The electrician will be in and out in ten days, and as for the equipment itself, everything is on the blueprint, so we know it’s going to fit. Our dry storage is small to nonexistent, though. We’re trying to find where to hide stuff in various nooks and crannies.

We don’t have to be open for a certain time. But we doubt we’ll be more than a month. Our new Website is already up, although it’s still under construction too. Right now I’m heading off to Austin for South by Southwest. Some of the bands we had on the show [Dinner With the Band] like PLA, Cities on Fire, and El-P, the rapper, are going to be there. I’m going to be catering the party.”

Sam Mason: The Electrician Will Totally Be Done in Ten Days