By Connor Adams Sheets
Flushing has been graced by a little touch of class with the arrival of Area, a new lounge and pool hall that provides a respite from the industrial scene that surrounds it at 32-03 Farrington St.
A laid-back but upscale spot which opened last week, Area has introduced patrons to a new side of Flushing, a neighborhood better known for its restaurants and karaoke joints.
Manager Tony Chahal said the 10,000-square-foot space offers an alternative to trekking into Manhattan for Queens residents wanting to enjoy a nice evening of billiards, an assortment of “very, very good” tapas and well-mixed drinks.
“The whole idea is to bring a Manhattan-style place to Queens. It’s a place where people can bring their family and friends and hang out in an upscale environment,” Chahal said. “I just want people to know that there’s an upscale place in Flushing that’s very nicely built out.”
The space was home to Empire Billiards for nine years before its metamorphosis into a swanky, dimly lit lounge. Business began to sag at the less-refined manifestation of the bar and Chahal said it was just time for a change. So Area was born.
But Empire lives on, though its simpler sign has been replaced with an elaborate, gold-colored overhang adorned with the word Area in backlit white lettering. Not to be mistaken for the Manhattan club with the same name that was ultra-popular during the 1980s but since went under, Area is still mostly for relaxing with friends and there is still no dance floor.
“I don’t want to run it as a nightclub. It’s a pool hall and a lounge,” Chahal said. “Come play pool, eat, have a drink. It’s just a mingling kind of place.”
Area opens at 4 p.m. and closes at 2 a.m. every day, though the times may change or vary in the first few months it is open. Parking is available for free in a lot next door. For more information, visit areanyc.com or call 718-321-3949.
Reach reporter Connor Adams Sheets by e-mail at csheets@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
