Bars

Staff Training Underway at Hop Sing Laundromat, But an Opening Remains Elusive

Hop Sing Laundromat's entrance.
Hop Sing Laundromat’s entrance. Photo: Collin Keefe

There are some things we know about Hop Sing Laundromat, and things we don’t know. Opening date? Well, that’s one of the things that falls under the “don’t know” category. But what we do know is, as we type this post, more than 15 hopefuls are deep in throes of staff training at the enigmatic, Chinatown cocktail bar. Mr. Mysterioso Lêe tells Grub that he’s brought in longtime friend and former coworker Tobey Maloney, the chief architect behind drink lists at Chicago’s The Violet Hour and New York’s Rusty Knot (just name a few), to help with schooling the staff. In addition to Maloney, Lêe’s also snagged Rob Fuentevilla from Manhattan’s Mayahuel to help with training and to serve as Hop Sing’s head bartender when it does open.

With Lêe’s direction, the two barmen began drilling down on Hop Sing’s cocktail list and a cram session in Hospitality 101 with the new recruits last week, and will continue to do so for most of this week. Since Hop Sing will offer cocktails both at the bar and table-side, Lêe says all the staff members are getting the same training. After the educational sessions are complete, it’s anyone’s guess when the bar will open.

Sometime soon seems like a safe assumption. Still, we caution that you don’t hold your breath waiting. We overheard Fuentevilla tell one staffer, “If I told you we were opening after next week, I’d be lying. We’re not opening until Lêe says we’re ready.”

Earlier: Advocate Gives Props to Still Unopened Hop Sing Laundromat

Staff Training Underway at Hop Sing Laundromat, But an Opening Remains Elusive