The basics of Prim in downtown Cincinnati
Address: 70 W. Fifth St., Downtown.
Building type: Mixed-use office building, bar.
Owner: AGAR. Construction: CCG Midwest. Architects: Drawing Dept. Consultants: FG Schaefer, Orange Chair, Cincinnati Wood Collaborative.
Size: 4,000 square feet.

What you need to know about Prim: It’s a pink cocktail bar ‘hidden in plain sight’ near Fountain Square
The creators of Ghost Baby, Cincinnati’s award-winning underground bar, have opened another cocktail spot in downtown Cincinnati called Prim. Located inside the glassy, block-long Foundry building, the bar is marked by an unassuming, matte-gray wall and a single revolving door. This simple, monochromatic entrance was designed to pique the curiosity of people passing by, according to Prim architect Ron Novak of Drawing Dept.”It’s meant to be hidden in plain sight,” Novak said, “so that when you enter the bar, it’s this iconic moment where you feel transported from the street to another space and time.”

Like Ghost Baby, the 4,000-square-foot bar features two distinct rooms: Through the entrance, guests encounter the parlor, a polished and warm intimate space largely characterized by a hunter green marble bar and booth seating. The salon outfits the western half of Prim and features wall-to-wall, custom-made furniture. It’s drenched in the color pink, evoking elements of 1980s Miami Beach maximalism.

Both rooms are also dimly lit, adding to the overall aura of privacy and luxury. “Prim is the kind of place where classic meets contemporary,” said Josh Heuser, co-founder of AGAR, the experiential marketing firm behind the bar. “You want to dress up for it, but it also allows you to let your hair down a little.” Prim is situated at the center of downtown Cincinnati’s newest restaurants and bars, The Davidson, Marigold and Vintage on Race. According to Heuser, it was crafted to complement these restaurants and serve as a place people can go before and after dining out or seeing a show.

A note on the drinks: Prim boasts a diverse menu, including beer and wine, but the signature cocktail list is curated to tie back to the luxury and glitz of the interior design. Each drink is named after a specific jewel, from Opalite to Onyx to Amber.

Architecture of Prim: Textured, curvy, dark and comfortable

Though it has space for up to 150 people, Prim feels compact and cozy thanks to the differences in design between the two rooms. In the parlor, the bar stands front and center. Gold accents, glass chandeliers and lights tucked into the curvature of the ceiling add dimension to the room, while short hallways bookending the bar lead to the salon. In there, the eye is immediately drawn to the hot pink drapes that line the walls, hanging behind blush pink velvet booths seating up to 10 people. There’s also white oak flooring, pink marble tables and architectural lamps that give the salon a living room feel.

A barrel-vaulted ceiling, approximately 14 feet high, makes the room feel both expansive and layered. Drawing Dept’s Novak described the ceiling, which also features a strip of reflective black material, as high-polish flooring.

“Everything else in the room was so matte-finished,” he said. “We wanted a moment of glamor and glitz in the center.” According to Heuser, the tablescape at Prim creates an opportunity for intimacy while also prompting people to walk around. “We design spaces for specific feeling and for interaction,” Heuser added.

*This article was originally posted on the Cincinnati Enquirer.