Every generation experiences that sudden moment when they feel disconnected from the contemporary and there’s a hip new generation at the cultural helm. For millennials, that moment is now, leaving them nostalgic for a time when “ SpongeBob SquarePants ” ruled Nickelodeon or when Britney Spears and Beyoncé were on the rise. Enter Kevin De Nicolo, founder of Zero Lounge, a new Y2K-themed bar opening in Hollywood on Friday, Nov.
22. De Nicolo, 32, spent most of his 20s playing in various bands, DJing at bars on the weekends, composing for films and videogames. In his run as a DJ, he fell in love with the nightlife, and ideas for a space by millennials for millennials began to manifest into a real business venture.
“I’ve been to a few ’80s bars and wondered what an ’80s bar would look like for millennials or something like a Mel’s Diner, which has that ’50s look to it,” De Nicolo said during a recent phone interview. That’s when it occurred to him: why not create a space where the music and aesthetics could call back to a nostalgic era for a millennial crowd? De Nicolo’s Zero Lounge is a love letter to his generation, written in bright purple and neon colors inspired by the cyberpunk visuals of the 1995 techno-thriller “Hackers.” It’s designed as a nod to the new millennium, with a cocktail menu inspired by early aughts pop culture.
The lounge blends nostalgia with chic modernity, welcoming Y2K enthusiasts and new generations to take a step back a.