Events

Guinness Malaysia opens its first flagship outlet in KL

Arthur’s Storehouse in Pavilion KL is a bar and restaurant that embodies the iconic brand

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 13 Nov 2022 5:00PM

Guinness Malaysia opens its first flagship outlet in KL — What it’s all about at the end of the day: creamy Guinness being poured at Arthur's Storehouse at Pavilion KL. – Pic courtesy of Heineken Malaysia, November 13, 2022

by The Vibes Culture and Lifestyle Team

THIS past Thursday (November 10), Guinness Malaysia officially launched its first-ever flagship location in the country, Arthur’s Storehouse, at Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur.

As is befitting a bar and restaurant that represents such a world-famous brand, the drinking and dining experience is all things Guinness with a menu of food and cocktails infused with the heady stout.

Past the gift shop at the store’s entrance, there’s a hallway filled with a brief lesson on the history behind the Guinness brand. – Pic courtesy of Heineken Malaysia

The idea for the store first came about in a meeting back in 2019, between Roland Bala, managing director of Heineken Malaysia Berhad, and George Ang, the director of the Storehouse Project, with the goal of building something similar to what one would find in Dublin.

After some deliberation, it was decided that Pavilion KL would be the location, with the construction of the store itself taking two and a half months. Even with the constraint, they could only work from midnight to 6am, because of the cinema located on the floor above.

The centrepiece of Arthur's Storehouse is the multi-sided bar, filled with more Guinness than you could ever imagine. – Haikal Fernandez pic

Much of Arthur Storehouse’s decor, in terms of colour and design, is an extension of what one expects from Guinness. There’s a lot of wood panelling, dark tones, and appropriate ambience.

“The very first Guinness flagship outlet is designed to give Malaysian fans the Dublin Storehouse experience right in the heart of KL. For that, we are thrilled about this exclusive partnership created between Guinness Malaysia and Storehouse Project,” said Shaun Lim, marketing manager of Guinness Malaysia.

There’s a history wall, photography corner to take pics for the Gram, a bar and dining area, as well as a lounge with the distinct colours and feel of Guinness.

Showcasing Arthur’s Storehouse as an entertainment venue, the band Saint Kylo performed during the launch event on Thursday. – Pic courtesy of Heineken Malaysia

For those interested in a hands-on experience, special rates are available for drinkers who want to learn the art of pouring the perfect glass of stout themselves with the help of the Guinness Academy.

The menu for Arthur’s Storehouse features a variety of exclusive Guinness-infused dishes, such as BBQ hot wings glazed with homemade Guinness sauce, Guinness aged ribeye steak and Guinness shepherd’s pie, among many others.

The entrance to Arthur’s Storehouse is dominated by a gift store with items imported directly from Dublin, where Guinness originates. – Haikal Fernandez pic

In terms of drinks, there is a Guinness-infused cocktail menu, offering choice beverages such as the ‘Black Velvet’, a mixture of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout and Prosecco, the ‘St James Gate’ which is a mixture of Guinness Draught, Irish Whiskey and coconut milk with cinnamon, and the ‘Guinnesstini’ made with Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, espresso, vodka, coffee liqueur and ice cream.

(From left) Shaun Lim, marketing manager of Guinness Malaysia, Roland Bala, managing director of Heineken Malaysia, George Ang, director of Storehouse Project, and Kung Suan Ai, director of marketing, Pavilion KL. – Pic courtesy of Heineken Malaysia

“Bringing in this Arthur house, bringing in the Dublin experience, what we have in Ireland, is really something that was close to my heart. For us, it’s really to give all you consumers a real experience,” said Roland. – The Vibes, November 13, 2022