A Japanese-Inspired Record Bar Opens Near Petworth

Kuro in Park View is a vinyl listening bar serving Japanese-inspired small plates and cocktails with a vinyl playlist spanning artists from Beyoncé to Miles Davis. The owner, a veteran and former Chicago cafe/bar owner, aims for an authentic listening atmosphere without strict rules, while keeping attention on the music by discouraging phone use and removing TVs. A vintage speaker setup anchors the bar, sourced from a collector and kept protected behind the bar. The venue operates Thursdays through Sundays, dedicating each day to different genres with full albums played start to finish. Select times allow patrons to bring their own records for playback.

"“Authentic listening bars [in Japan], you're really not speaking that much. You're enjoying a cocktail, and you're just in the moment of the music. And people, they take it serious,” says owner Loyd Griggs, an Army National Guard veteran and former government contractor who also previously owned a cafe/bar in his native Chicago. He didn't want something quite so strict at his own vinyl bar, but he does want to keep the focus on the music: “We'd rather you not be on your phone. There's no TVs... The sound system is the centerpiece of the bar itself.”"

"“We'd rather you not be on your phone. There's no TVs... The sound system is the centerpiece of the bar itself.” Griggs sourced his vintage 4435 speakers from a collector in New Jersey. “I was able to convince him to sell them to me. It took a while,” he says. The collector wanted to make sure they'd be appreciated by a true audiophile, and Griggs assured him he'd keep the speakers safe behind the bar where no one would touch them."

"The bar is open Thursdays through Sundays, and each day is dedicated to a different genre of music, with albums played from start to finish. To start, Thursdays will be devoted to jazz, soul, and blues. Fridays will feature old-school R&B and a bit of hip-hop. Saturdays are for pop, alternative, and light rock. And Sundays are a catch-all with whatever's by request. Griggs is also encouraging people to bring in their own records during select times: “If you want to hear it on a very good quality sound system, you can bring it in, and we're happy to play it.”"

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