A boozy slushie, anyone? This new spot will diversify Durham’s bar scene
Not all heroes wear capes. Some mix up boozy slushies in the searing July heat.
Such a hero is moving into downtown Durham as the city will soon have its first all-slushy bar.
Aptly named The Slush, the new bar will open this summer at 321 W. Main Street in downtown Durham.
The Slush is the creation of Durham native Rashanda Mason, a longtime music public relations pro who became a fan of frozen daiquiri bars in cities like New Orleans and Miami while working concerts and festivals. Inspired by the likes of Wet Willie’s, Senor Frogs and Fat Tuesdays, Mason said she felt the time was right to bring the concept to her hometown.
“I think it brings a little bit of diversity to downtown,” Mason said. “There are a million bars so I think (The Slush) will diversify the fun.”
Theme flavors for colleges
At any given time there will be at least a half dozen frozen drink machines churning and mixing a variety of boozy daiquiris, plus two non-alcoholic flavors. Mixes will be fruity and tropical, such as Peach Mimosa, and can be mixed and matched to create new flavors, Mason said.
Drinks will start at $10. Make sure to bring a card, as The Slush will be entirely cashless.
There will also be theme flavors for local colleges N.C. Central, Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill. There won’t be any beer or wine options, but drinks can have kicker shots of liquor served on the side.
Mason said when she was growing up in Durham and walking through the downtown with her sister, there wasn’t much in the way of nightlife. She said most of the change has happened in the past decade, as cocktail bars and restaurants, ice cream shops and breweries have opened up. She said a bar like The Slush represents a new stage of growth.
“I want people to come out and feel like they’re in a a bigger city,” Mason said. “There are so many implants from larger cities, who might not expect to have something like this right in their backyard.”
While The Slush is focusing on frozen drinks, it opens in the midst of a boozy slushie trend in the Triangle, with a number of bars and restaurants keeping cocktail mixing behind the bar. Mason said her bar will stand out in the crowd.
“They’re offering a novelty, I’m creating an experience around the boozy slush,” Mason said.
Tips to avoid brain freeze
The line between pain and pleasure may exist inside the cup of a boozy slushie, as the pitfall of a brain freeze is never far away. Mason said the key is to relax and take your time, that only those in a hurry suffer the ice cold headache.
“You have to drink slower and take breaths,” Mason said. “No chugging contests, it’s never a good thing and will always lead to a brain freeze.”
The Slush is currently renovating its space on Main Street, building a bar and space for tables, making room for about 50 people. Mason is eyeing mid-July for the opening, she said, hoping to make it catch as much of the summer as possible.
Either way, she said North Carolina offers plenty of days for frozen drinks.
“I still eat ice cream in the winter,” Mason said. “We’re looking forward to next year and having a full spring and summer.”
This story was originally published July 2, 2021 at 1:14 PM with the headline "A boozy slushie, anyone? This new spot will diversify Durham’s bar scene."
