Little Ku on Frith Street is one of the cornerstone LGBT+ venues of gay Soho and has become one of our favourite drinking dens. Here, recently-appointed venue manager and Ku marketing guru Nieko Strobel explains what he’s planning to take this bar to the next level.
Hi Nieko, you took over Little Ku a while back – how’s it been going?
Hey Boyz! I did! Little Ku is where I actually started my Soho career, so when I moved in on a more permanent basis in April it felt like coming home. I’m absolutely in love with our ‘smaller sibling’ venue; it’s obviously smaller than the flagship in Leicester Square, but this little teenager packs quite the attitude!
What have you done/changed since you’ve been manager?
The biggest thing we’ve worked on is simply giving Little Ku its own identity; its own vibe, atmosphere and feel. We’ve really found a new set of regular customers who enjoy the hustle and bustle of Soho, but need an instant escape – we’re like an Ibiza beach bar, just without the beach! I’m also incredibly proud of the team of guys and girls we now have. The Ku Bar boys are famed for a reason, and Little Ku is no exception – they’re all beautiful, inside and out.
In what ways, if any, is Little Ku different to the bigger Ku on Lisle Street?
Little Ku is that perfect drop-in-for-a-goss venue; it’s not too big that you miss out on who’s in and what eye candy you can try and chat up – it’s the perfect place for a catch up, make up, or make out! Little Ku definitely has that ‘Sex and the City’ vibe to it. You can always have a view of Old Compton Street, with all the queens walking past, whilst people watching. Also, and this is perhaps the most important thing: we do bloody amazing mojitos – and at 2-for-£12 all day, every day, you can’t get more Carrie Bradshaw than that!
And what music do you play throughout the week?
We play music that you love to hear, but didn’t even know you did! Yes, of course we play all the latest chart stuff, but actually all the non-single releases you won’t hear anywhere else. It’s all good, fun pop, and on the weekends it’s more house and Ibiza classics. But we will always, ALWAYS end a night with a bit of Tina Turner.
And finally, can you tell us any goss about what else is coming up in the Ku Group?
The Fall season is the craziest part of the year for us, what with Halloween, and the birthday of the Ku brand – but that info will come later. We are so happy to now have two new weekly nights at our Klub venue: Bombshell on Wednesdays and P.H.A.T Club on Thursdays. And this week we’re very proudly releasing our first Ku music video! We’ve done BTS-style videos before, but a number of very talented staff have put together a fully choreographed video, showing not only their incredible dancing skills, but also promoting the message of acceptance and love. The video is titled ‘A Place For All’ and that truly reflects where we are as a group right now – venues for everyone.
Little Ku, 25 Frith Street, Soho, London, W1D 5LB.
ku-bar.co.uk
Recommended for you
