Blitzen the Christmas pop-up bar adds to 9th Street invigoration

Delaware designer Dallas Shaw does most of her work with clients in New York City, but this holiday season she has a project right in the heart of Wilmington: Blitzen, a Christmas pop-up bar nestled between Girard & Faire and WhyFly on 9th Street.

Dallas Shaw. (Courtesy photo)

The space is owned by Robert Herrera, founder of The Mill, who opened the food market-slash-wine shop last spring with Dan Sheridan and Rob Snowberger, founders of Stitch House Brewery.

“I wanted to bring a design concept to Delaware,” said Shaw while she put finishing touches on the bar, which opens on Thursday Nov. 7, earlier this week. “This is my first Delaware project.”

The aesthetic is Christmas kitsch overload: When you walk in, you’re immersed in a cozy, glittery, festive atmosphere with a defined reindeer theme.

To add to the ambiance, there is a full bar offering a variety of hot and cold holiday cocktails designed by Sheridan, in addition to a standard bar selection. There will also be a special menu prepared next door at Faire.

With a buzz already surrounding Blitzen, the popup looks poised to draw people to a stretch of 9th Street that was once a center of retail and nightlife downtown and has more recently become more residential with the addition of the Residences of Mid-Town Park.

Through the holiday season, Blitzen will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight, and is booking private events on the other days.

We captured some of the details of the still-in-progress popup. Check it out: