In Allentown, Pa.’s Downtown West neighborhood, Saguez & Dash, a subsidiary of Saguez & Partners, have turned a once-blank space on the ground floor of a new condo building into Rosa Blanca, a Cuban rum bar from Chef Jose Garces. This beverage-forward concept transitions from a daytime café to a cocktail destination in the evening.
“Rosa Blanca is a love letter to 1950s Havana, blending style, glamour, and culture into an inviting and immersive space," David Ashen, CEO of Saguez & Dash, said in a statement. "We drew inspiration from the iconic streamlined Art Deco style of the era, fusing African and Spanish influences to create a uniquely textured Cuban aesthetic."
Designed as an eclectic time capsule, Rosa Blanca evokes midcentury Cuba through layered design. The lounge uses aged cement tiles, distressed walls and wrought iron accents. A pink and dark wood bar is lit by vintage pendant lights and flanked by a backlit rum display with antique cigar boxes and brass pineapple tumblers. Colorful artwork and collected tchotchkes are on the walls.
“Our goal was to create a uniquely vibrant and eclectic backdrop for Chef Garces’ Rosa Blanca brand—a space with both glamour and grit, and a lived-in charm reminiscent of Havana’s beloved, generations-old cafés. We hope Rosa Blanca becomes just that for Allentown, adding to the city’s rich history for years to come,” said Kristin Cullen, design director at Saguez & Dash.
The space merges history with hospitality for a sense of Havana’s golden era.