Past Lower Parel’s gridlocked roads, at the far end of Todi Mills, sits a new cocktail bar that exudes grandeur. A 4,000-square-foot space where every element commands attention—the 22-foot ceilings, the tall teakwood lamps, the conifer-like chandeliers and even the planters. So, when we are told this was a dilapidated textile warehouse in its previous life, it’s hard to imagine. “It’s not every day that you come across a place with soaring ceilings. Unfortunately, the defunct textile warehouse was completely run down—the ceiling, walls and structure needed significant work,” says Nikita Shahri. The restaurateur, though, loves a good challenge and decided to transform the warehouse into a chic cocktail spot now known as Late Checkout.
No one would get the brief as she did, so the restaurateur donned the hat of a designer for the project. The co-founder of Chrome Hospitality, along with her partner Pawan Shahri, has always been deeply involved with the design of their restaurants Gigi, Lyla and Eve. “With this project—our tenth venture—I wanted to push my creative boundaries even further, and transforming an old textile mill into a new cocktail bar was an exciting challenge. When I’m involved in the design, the space stays true to its vision.”
The vision for Late Checkout was a cocktail bar that gets you to stay just for one more drink. “The idea sparked when Pawan and I were holidaying and were just not ready to leave the hotel when a call reminded us to check out. We wanted to create a space where guests could leave the clock behind,” says Shahri. This emotion is the throughline of the space. At the entrance of Todi Mills, a buggy with the branding whisks you to the foyer of Late Checkout, where a reception and a rack full of room keys greet you into the space. “We wanted Late Checkout to feel like an escape—somewhere you instantly feel transported. The idea was to blur the lines between a cocktail bar and a cosy living room that encourages people to stay a while,” she explains.
Late Checkout’s 120-seater layout is thoughtfully divided into three spaces. There is the main high-energy cocktail room. Adjacent to it is an intimate coffee and wine bar that’s perfect for quieter moments and couples on a date night, and for private sit-down dinners for a group of family and friends, there’s a cosy mezzanine level. The piece de resistance is its soaring bar, a 30-foot rack displaying the spirits fashioned from aged wood. “The bar has been designed for interaction, and guests can hang out there and watch their cocktails being made,” says Shahri.
Remnants of the warehouse's past life live on at Late Checkout. The industrial flooring has been retained, and the exposed brick walls have been carefully restored. “We had to be mindful of preserving the integrity of the space while making it functional for a modern restaurant. All the walls were load-bearing so we couldn’t break them down. We had to work within those constraints while still ensuring the layout felt seamless and functional,” says Shahri, explaining the challenges.
The raw, industrial look is softened with dim lighting and plush seating upholstered in a mix of warm and cool shades, varying from crimson to peacock blue. Life-size lamps and a generous amount of candles, vases and planters add whimsy to the space. The exuberance extends even to the washroom, with a freestanding marble basin, an empire chandelier and mirrors. The main dining hall seamlessly transforms from night to day, with a gorgeous skylight that sets the space aglow. In Lower Parel’s clogged neighbourhood, where a sea of people constantly race in and out of work, Late Checkout may just make a case for you to stay a while longer.
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