By Lesly Velasco Guerra, April 6, 2021
As Los Angeles County moves into the red tier, local businesses are finding new ways to reignite downtown Pomona’s nightlife, including Green Room, a local cocktail lounge. For the first time in a year, it relaunched with new outdoor and rooftop sitting areas to offer a “one of a kind” dining experience.
Despite LA County Department of Public Health’s announcement to allow reopening restaurants indoors with 25% capacity on March 11, Green Room’s staff prepared its outdoor reopening plans for extra safety precautions. As of last month, the cocktail lounge is now offering outdoor dining in its courtyard and extending to rooftop at The Fox Theater to elevate the COVID-safe atmosphere.
“I like to call it a hidden gem,” said Green Room General Manager Vera Mora, a Pomona native. “Every person who comes through that door eventually, at some point, becomes a regular of ours because it’s more personal. You have the one-on-one interaction. You actually conversate. It’s not some random high-volume place you’re just visiting.”
Throughout April, Green Room will partner with La Piñata, a Mexican food-centric popup, to host various engaging events. Upcoming events include Club Cena, an outdoor dining experience accompanied with music and drinks held on weekend nights; Saturday Banda Brunch, a brunch event with live banda music; and Reggaeton Sundays, another dining experience with live DJs playing trending reggaeton songs. All events will offer a variety of Mexican cuisine, in addition to a seafood menu, revolving around a piñata theme.
Starting April 6, Green Room will also partner up with Miche Las Koritas, a Baja-style fish and shrimp taco at-home business in Pomona.
Marco Argote, the marketing and outreach coordinator at Green Room, explained that as opportunities arise, the team will continue to host similar events to attract customers while providing exposure to local and small businesses.
“It’s starting to be what it used to be,” said Argote. “Before, we had a line all the way to Crazy J’s and it has taken a lot of dedication.”
Prior to COVID-19 closures, Green Room featured an indoor club-like atmosphere with dashing LED lights, an open bar and music with decorations like speaker walls and old vinyl collections.
Valuing community life, Mora and her staff often provide fundraising opportunities and work with partners, including the Pomona Police Department, to give back to the community.
“The Green Room will establish, for example, fundraisers for people who lost a loved one or a toy drive for the kids in need during the holiday,” said Argote. “I think that’s what makes the Green Room the Green Room. We’re so open to giving back to the community and always try to give back.”
For more information, follow Green Room on Instagram, or visit La Piñata’s website to reserve a table for the popups.