Pop-out to pop-up Xmas bar

PERKINS TWP. — Forget about traveling to the North Pole. Santa Claus could easily set up a workshop space in a north coast restaurant, fully and festively decked out for the holidays. Danny Boys Pizza Sandusky, on Milan Road (U.S. 250) near the Bogart Road intersection, recently unveiled what its management team coins as "Erie County's first pop-up Christmas bar." "We wanted to do something special for the locals," said Julie McMahon, the local restaurant's general manager. In recent times, pop-ups have gained great popularity in metropolitan areas, like Cleveland. It's when bars and restaurants temporarily transform their spaces during a special time, especially amid Christmas. "Being that the Sandusky area is a tourist town, this way, locals won't have to travel outside to Cleveland to come to a pop-up Christmas bar," McMahon said. "It's just a place to gather when you're in town for the holidays or just want to get into the holiday spirit." Staff at the local Danny Boys went all out with the celebration. This would include: • Outside the restaurant, several 20-foot-tall inflatables — like Santa Claus, the Nutcracker and the Abominable Snowman — greet commuters driving by Milan Road. • Inside the restaurant, diners should immediately notice a vibrant, luminous light display strung across the ceiling. • Along the walls, massive ornaments, stockings, holiday wrapping paper and more cover up seemingly every inch of once-open space. • On the ground and in spaces between tables, staff nestled in plenty of decor — such as smaller animatronic Nutcracker and Santa statues, Christmas trees surrounded by presents and poinsettias — wherever they could. Additionally, the kitchen and bar staff created a special menu filled with: • Non-alcoholic, or "nice," drinks, including a berry mojito and cranberry mule • Alcoholic, or "naughty" drinks, consisting of Santa's Stocking Sangria and Cousin Eddie's Cocoa Depending on the drink, they can come in cups resembling a stocking worn by Santa or an elf. • Various appetizer items, like mac and cheese snowballs, or bites; and tinsel, or tater, tots with rib rub round out the offerings "We have something that can suit anyone's palate," McMahon said. The local Danny Boys will still provide its full array of food offerings, featuring many Italian classics. "We also just came out with a new menu, which we change seasonally," McMahon said. McMahon invites people to come out and check out the pop-up theme, which should span through January. People can check Danny Boys' Facebook page for more information, including updates on special events, such as an upcoming ugly sweater contest along with a pizza-eating event with Santa. There's also live music on Thursdays. "It's become a nice gathering space," McMahon said. "Whether you are here in town or you are local and just want to socialize, hang out and get into the spirit, this is a good jumping-off point to stop in and enjoy yourself before or after shopping for presents or running errands for the holidays."