The Eighth is carving out a new chapter to New York‘s nightlife story in Chelsea.

The new cocktail bar, located on Seventh Avenue and 18th street, is a collaboration between hospitality and nightlife veteran Richie Romero and Julien Legeard and Valmira Gashi of Legeard Studio. By signing onto the project as co-owners, the design duo gained a greater level of agency over the finished concept. 

“We do a lot of hospitality projects,” says Gashi. “We were having this situation where we were designing all these projects and then handing them off, and then just hoping that the service would match,” she adds. “We were like, OK, what if we have control over that?” 

The team set out to reimagine a corner of Chelsea that was previously home to nostalgic New American restaurant Motel Morris. Taking a closer look at the hospitality and nightlife options in the neighborhood, “we felt that what was really missing was something that was a little bit more spicy, a little bit more interesting and inviting,” says Gashi. “But also a date night spot and a cocktail place.”

The design concept for The Eighth draws upon the city’s “infinite” untold stories — the people shaping the neighborhood who may never become icons like Andy Warhol or Bob Dylan.

“It’s this idea that you go somewhere, you experience it, and that’s your story. And then maybe that’s not told everywhere, but you’ve gotten to experience a piece of the history of Chelsea,” says Gashi. “That’s also where the name comes from. The Eighth is this idea that comes up after you stop counting. After the seventh day, the seventh wonder, what is it? What comes afterwards?”

The atmospheric room’s color palette is rooted in purple, tapping into a sense of mystery, while snake and moth imagery throughout the space are a play on central themes like ritual, memory and indulgence. Materials include a faux snakeskin print, featured on the DJ booth and VIP area, and a chain-link curtain that serves as a nod to the neighborhood’s industrial past. 

“The bar is pretty much the biggest thing in the room and it’s back-lit stone alabaster, so it’s glowing,” says Gashi. “Every time somebody walks into the space, the first thing they do is they just bolt to it; it’s like a moth to the flame.” 

The bar, also anchored by an infinity mirror, also serves as an altar for three nightly cocktail “ceremonies,” held at 8 p.m., 10 p.m. and midnight. Marking a shift in vibe within the evening’s progression, cocktail tasters will be offered to the entire room alongside a small bite prepared by the kitchen. 

Ahead of its public opening, The Eighth hosted fashion week events for designers including Christian Siriano, Marc Bouwer and Kate Barton, as well as Crawford Models.

“What we want people to experience when they walk into the space is that they come in and they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s cool.’ But then there’s more things that reveal themselves as the night progresses,” adds Gashi. “The idea is that it’s constantly revealing — and you’re just there to be part of it.”