The first pub in Stepanakert entitled “Bardak” (“Mess”) is open for already 6 months. The founder of the pub Azat Adamyan tells that until opening the pub, they gathered in that place with friends, and that was the time when understood that there is a need of opening such place in Stepanakert: “I wanted to open a place which would be pleasant to me.”
“I had to chose a name which would break stereotypes, for example, if people hear the name “Bardak” and refuse to visit this place, they have nothing to do in here. The second reason is that it should be different from other names by something.”
As stated by Azat Adamyan, although the pub is newly opened, it is already one of the most famous entertainment places in Stepanakert: “Approximately a month ago I received a call from the post office and was told that I had a letter. I went there. To my surprise, “Google” was writing that they wanted to register “Bardak” pub and asking me to collect the respective code attached to the letter. They explained that a lot of people had added “Bardak” as a new place and they got interested in that way. And I understood that “Google maps” is mainly used by the tourists, the number of the tourists grew after that.”
The entry is by couples, face control is in place: “Solely the circumstance that we cannot have concerts intended for big audience disturbs, although “Shushva band” has made its first steps here, has had a few concerts here. For example, a few weeks ago we organized an event here – “System of a Down Day”, I did not imagine we had so many “System of a Down” fans: No free place had remained.”
Azat Adamyan thinks that people’s style changes: “It is a kind of a school from where people “learn” the style. For example, here they meet tourists, listen to their songs, save them. I have a friend who had never heard of Reggae in his entire lifetime, but has listened to Bob Marley here, has liked it very much and every time he comes here, he asks to put Bob Marley, he listens to Bob Marley at home as well, when he had never heard of such music in his life. This is already a very pleasant fact, one may consider that a change is happening already. Here we keep the format. We do not limit our guests here (I do not like the word “customer”): here everyone can do whatever they like, solely not to injure anyone, whether you want to lay, sleep, dance on the table, do whatever you want and it gives people freedom, the one sitting beside him/her understands in turn, that s/he can feel her or himself free as well. I have lived this in 2013 in Norway when I entered a pub where everyone was doing whatever they wanted. Firstly it was unusual to me, but then I realized that you can feel yourself that way too, just not to hurt anyone.”
Ami CHICHAKYAN
