ICE LOUNGE IS A FIRST

IN NEW DELHI, INDIA

‘Do it right or don’t do it at all’ – it’s a wonderful creed to live by, but it’s not always easy to fulfill.

Business experts agree that success relies on management savvy, marketing ability and financial acumen. And to that mix, add entrepreneurial passion for creating something unique.

Four young entrepreneurs in New Delhi – all under 30 years of age – who have been close friends since school days through university, have pooled resources and opened an ice lounge in a prominent mall complex in the south part of the city.

Each partner is successful in his own right and either is involved with his own business or has a career with an established corporation.  Heading the group is Puneet Tayal, a New Delhi-based Wealth Manager. Of the four partners, Puneet was voted to front the ice lounge project while the others work behind the scenes.

The idea for Ice Lounge New Delhi, as it is known, was conceived after one of the partners visited the ice lounge in London, England, and was so enthused about his ‘ice experience’ he told his friends.

After several months of research and a couple of false starts, the partners settled on a location on the first floor of the MGF Metropolitan Mall which is linked to the Select City Walk and DLF Place shopping malls in New Delhi.

An ice lounge is a big investment but the group were determined to follow their ‘do it right’ policy, from start to finish. 


New Delhi is a prime market and with a population of 12 million plus, it was vital that special attention was paid to managing all aspects of the project – from sourcing the appropriate suppliers, developing food and beverage menus and arranging for suitable insulated clothing for visitors.

Early in the research process, the partners decided the lounge should be built with crystal clear ice.

Locally-produced traditional blocks which have a white feather core were not an option, and the partners turned to Canada for the crystal clear product.  ‘When you see the finished ice lounge, you will quickly see why we chose the crystal clear block’, says Puneet.

‘Yes, it is more expensive and shipping to India really adds to the cost, but the final product is amazing when you see how colored LED lighting brings out the detail in the carvings’, he adds.

The interior design was a co-operative effort between the four partners and Heidi Bayley of Iceculture in Hensall, Ontario.  Iceculture was contracted to supply the ice and complete the build – the company has been involved with 13 different ice lounge or ice restaurant projects around the world.

An Iceculture team of seven completed the installation in seven days.  Getting the ice blocks to the first floor of the mall location was a challenge. Cranes and forklifts were abandoned in favor of a crew of ‘Heavy Lifters’ from Rajasthan who manhandled the blocks into the freezer display room.

Says Heidi, ‘This has to be one of the most impressive installations we have done.

The freezer incorporated quiet-running evaporators which were significantly more expensive than regular units, but they demonstrated the partners’ determination to do the project properly’.

A regular bar is attached to the ice lounge and this is where visitors pick up an insulated cape and gloves and then pass through the ante-room before entering the lounge. This bar provides a meeting point for visitors who return to the bar after their ice experience and can enjoy a cocktail and a wide selection of food items.

	The décor inside the ice lounge has a distinct Indian look with many photo opportunities – a seating area framed with beaded ice curtains, a Maharaja throne and several ice sculptures including a life-size carving of a lady folding her hands into a namaste, and a Bengal tiger with two cubs.
One bar accessory that catches visitors eye is the ice shaker used by bar staff to mix cocktails.
Reflecting the culture, the lounge has a distinct ethnic Moghul look with the curved ice bar placed in front of a back bar with peacocks arranged on each side. Cruiser tables are strategically located around the lounge where visitors place their cocktails while taking photographs.
Special attention was paid to interior lighting. The walls can be illuminated in a variety of colors and LED spot lights highlight individual components. Complete color changes at regular intervals will surely entertain those inside.
	An unusual approach was taken with the launch of Ice Lounge New Delhi. It was promoted exclusively on social media – Facebook, Twitter – and the results have been phenomenal.

A week after the opening, there was a three day waiting list for reservations to get into the lounge.  Social media will no doubt be the new way to promote. The lounge still does not have an official web site although there is one in production at the present time.

We have seen new liquor brands being announced through social media and those who have used the medium are very enthusiastic. The ice lounge lends itself to promotion this way and the general ice carving industry would do well to consider social media in the future.