Tracy Bradbury and Chad Johnson, longtime Ridgewood residents and members of the service industry, have taken over what used to be Paradise Lounge at 678 Woodward Ave. Their new venture together, Flying Fox Tavern, has been an idea in the making for quite some time and is now finally coming to life.
Bradbury has worked a variety of events in the bar industry, specifically at Cobra Club since 2012, and Johnson has been a chef at a number of different establishments for over 20 years in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Johnson joined the Navy right out of high school and became a chef cooking on an aircraft carrier for five years. He is now a classically trained chef ready to make his mark on a place of his own.
Bradbury and Johnson’s goal for the tavern is to create an aesthetic that is centered around 1930s and 1940s classic horror with a rock n’ roll twist. Johnson described his and Bradbury’s vision for the Flying Fox Tavern as, “a place you can come in and get a good meal with your drink.” The tavern is also expected to have vegan menu items along with some traditional menu items, such as burgers and other “hearty, full entrees.”
Bradbury mentioned that something important to her and Johnson is to be “all inclusive for the community.” Bradbury continued by stating, “We both have been here for so long that it is really important for us to be a public house. We want to welcome families during the day.”
A grand opening date for Flying Fox Tavern is still in the works as they continue to work on obtaining the necessary paperwork in order to open to the public.
In the meantime, follow Flying Fox Tavern on Instagram to keep up-to-date on their progress leading up to the tavern’s grand opening.
Featured image courtesy of Flying Fox Tavern’s Instagram page.
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