


What was formerly the rubble-strewn basement of an early 1900s building in Redlands has been transformed into an underground speakeasy with a 1990s vibe.
It’s called My Friend’s House, and it’s part of Redlands Public Market, a food hall that opened last winter in the long-vacant Mutual Orange Distributors Packing House at 330 Third St.
My Friend’s House calls itself a time machine to the ’90s. It takes millennials back to their childhoods with the aid of homey decor, video games and the kind of beverages they couldn’t legally drink back then.
It officially debuted June 26, the last of 20 eateries, bars and markets to open in the food hall, which is the creation of Pomona-based developer Arteco Partners. About half were ready for business when Redlands Public Market opened on Feb. 20. Work on the food hall continued in following weeks, including the completion of a patio and the mounting of historical decorations throughout the propery.
My Friend’s House is the brainchild of general manager Alex Teran, who owns the bars, Supernova Pizza and the gaming arcade upstairs.
The speakeasy has a semi-secret entrance through an old vault door inside the arcade.
The space downstairs is set up to resemble various rooms in a suburban house: grandma’s living room, a den featuring real family photos from Teran’s childhood, a gamer’s room with movie posters and a garage turned man cave.
There’s a stone wall that Teran said is an original part of the building and fits the atmosphere.
The bar itself is intended to suggest a dining room table. It serves drinks with names like Smurf Lagoon, Care Bear Potion, My So-Called Lychee, 9021-Rose and Ginnifer Aniston. The menu is on VHS cases.
Zack Attack, made with coconut rum, Island Punch Pucker, Blue Curacao and Mountain Dew, is an homage to Teran’s brother Zack and the character played by Mark Paul Gosselaar on “Saved By the Bell.”“They used to say ‘Zack attack’ on that show. People used to yell it at my brother.”
Foods delivered from Supernova upstairs include pizza by the slice, pepperoni or Buffalo chicken and an Adult “Lunchable,” a $30 shareable that includes a charcuterie plate and two alcoholic drinks served in pouches with straws.
Customers can make reservations to visit for a two-hour stretch. Most hang out for most of that time, according to Teran.
“Our most popular game is definitely Mario Kart 64, without question. Everyone tries to play Mario Kart,” he said. “We host a lot of kinds of games. We have a lot of Nintendo 64s. We have a Super Nintendo. We have a Playstation One and a Sega Genesis.
“We also have an original Nintendo, which isn’t technically from the ’90s. But you had stuff from the ’80s in your house sometimes.”
Hours are 5-10 p.m. Sunday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Information: redlandspublicmarket.com