28 Newsstand Is a New Pop-Up Hiding in Plain Sight

No, that is not a newsstand that has opened up on the site that once housed Railroad Blues and PS 14. Not really, anyway. It's a slightly more lucrative scheme than print media. While it might appear to be a vendor selling candies, old copies of New Times, and vintage issues of Playboy, if you slide open the magazine shelves, you will discover a bar lurks behind the newsstand facade. Opened during Art Basel by two brothers that go by the names Yoyi and Frizko, 28 Newsstand is a speakeasy that goes all out with the news theme.

"It's arguably the only newsstand in Miami," Yoyi tells us, even though 28 Newsstand doesn't actually sell any of the magazines on display. "It's a concept pop-up bar meant to take you through the unexpected and lead you into a comfortable environment where it's easy to drink booze, boogie down, and have fun."

They kept the pool table and classy interior furnishings from when the space was called Railroad Blues, but added plenty of media-themed flourishes. Old newspapers serve as wallpaper and chalk laying around the bar allows you to write your own stories on the wall (stories, not penises, guys). The backdoor patio has an old school phone booth meant to remind you of one of our culture's most famous newspaper writers, Clark Kent.

Just as the magazines and newspapers at newsstands are constantly being replaced, Yoyi and Frizko's idea is to have a rotating set of performing acts, drinks, and food prepared in the backyard. 
"We vary our programming with a rotation of live music, bands, DJ's, special events and secret shows. From the front door to the back spill out, if you pay attention to all the decorations and details of the bar you can fill in more of the concept's story."

As a pop-up, 28 Newsstand can be a little unpredictable when it comes to hours of operation. "Because we do things a little different as a pop-up bar, we have unique programming," Yoyi says. "In order to know when we are open, what days and what we have going on from our cocktail menu to our secret shows and surprise performances, you would have to follow us on social media or check on our website."

28 Newsstand is currently reaching fans via the bar's Facebook page, its website, 28newsstand.com, and on Instagram (@28Newsstand).

But once you've done your research, Yoyi hopes you'll like what you find. He's particularly proud of all the small details of 28 Newsstand, like how the bar presents its drinks. All the bottled beers are served in the type of paper bag that once would have housed your nudie mags and the joint's cocktails are served in kitschy tiki cups that are yours to keep when you finish your beverage. The night he showed us around the bar, the cups were shaped like snowmen, geishas, and monkeys.

"When you go to a newsstand, you take something home with you and we're staying true to that theme."