The Soviet
The Soviet is a communist-themed cocktail bar in Cluj-Napoca, Romania that has been serving cocktails in jars since 2013. It’s the oldest project that I have been involved in, and it’s my first breakthrough business. The Soviet is still very close to my heart. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to be kept up to date.
SHTO
SHTO is my second bar business. I have not been involved in its founding, but after the takeover, we have changed a few things to make it more our own. SHTO has a lively atmosphere and serves premium drinks at student prices. It is located in downtown Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Our favorite hashtag is #NONCONFORMISHTO.
BarKontrol
Bar inventory made simple. BarKontrol is an inventory app designed for bars, clubs, cafes, and restaurants. It has solved a pain I used to have in my own establishments and have teamed up with friends to get this thing up and going. More and more bars are starting to use this new solution to get their inventory game under control.
Panifique
Panifique is a project that I invested in mainly because I was inspired by the passion and determination behind getting a good, eco product to market, at a reasonable price, by the original founders of the company. The Romanian market is underserved in this regard and I am hopeful that the Panifique brand will be able to satisfy the needs of those looking for a piece of healthy bread, without additives or other unhealthy ingredients.
Indie Folker
I have been playing and recording indie folk music under the moniker “Indie Folker” since 2009. It was the first indie folk musical project in Eastern Europe as far as I know. I have released three albums and two EPs so far. I have performed live as Indie Folker in more than 100 shows, both as a solo act as well as with a small band of good friends. I have played gigs all over Romania, Hungary, and UK.
Nobody:Alfonz
A very good friend of mine offered to team up for a new musical project at one point, and I thought it was just the thing for me! That’s how we formed Nobody:Alfonz. We have collaborated online as he is based in Budapest, but we were quite prolific despite this fact. We have a bunch of songs recorded and still unreleased at the moment, but we are not doing this project in order to seek fame. So it’s fun.
Poetry
I have been writing poetry in Hungarian for some time. But I haven’t been very prolific after the publishing of my first book, I must admit. I was awarded a prize from FISZ Hungary (Alliance of Young Writers) for my debut volume Keleti Katasztrófa in 2009. I have been publishing poetry in several magazines before that, mainly in the Cluj-Napoca-based Helikon Literary Magazine. I have also published in the literary magazines Irodalmi Jelen, Szőrös Kő, and Echinox.
PAST PROJECTS
RUMMU Bistro
Rummu was a shared project that we ran together with a friend. It was a cozy, stylish neighborhood venue that served fresh coffee, yummy food, and premium drinks. A great retreat in the Girgorescu neighborhood of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It was a fun project, but we’ve decided to exit in 2023 to focus on other ventures, so the place is now under new management. Wish them the best!
Junkyard Recycled Pub
I loved Junkyard! We have created an industrial bar/hookah lounge in Cluj-Napoca, Romania after taking over the initial project from a friend. Unfortunately, Covid forced us to shut it down. However, a new project is taking its place, namely a Steam Punk museum. Wish them the best with this one!
Kookyn
With Kookyn we’ve manufactured stylish and useful tools for passionate bakers. We have started this company in 2020, during the Covid lockdowns, as the hospitality sector that I was mainly involved in was abruptly shut down. Just comes to show that there is a possibility for every setback.
We’ve decided to exit this business in 2023, but it was a fun ride, and I’ve had a lot of fun with it.