The Black Sheep offers a unique atmosphere and eclectic fare.
Photo credit: Robbie Gossman
HAMPDEN — The Black Sheep Cocktail Bar & Kitchen, located at 5 Allen St. in the Hampden Plaza, is a new craft cocktail bar and scratch kitchen that just opened, serving a diverse selection of cocktails and cuisine.
Owner and manager Robbie Gossman said, “It’s been going very well. What makes us unique is nobody is doing traditional, authentic bartending techniques and we’re using all fresh pressed non-pasteurized juices. We’re making all of the syrups in-house with organic ingredients and an organic sugar cane base, so everything is as fresh and as natural as can be.”
Gossman has been in the restaurant business for several years in Springfield. He used to own McCaffrey’s Public House in downtown Springfield. He was also the founder and owner of Nathan Bill’s Bar & Restaurant that he sold to a manager four years ago when he moved out of the country, a move, Gossman said he made after growing tired of doing the same old things and needing to clear his head.
Gossman lived in Central America for two years and did significant traveling through Europe and South America, which reinvigorated him, and served as inspiration to do something different. He wanted to bring something unique with quality over quantity and a different atmosphere back to Western Massachusetts.
“We’re not a specific genre,” Gossman said. “Our food and cocktails are international. It was difficult coming up with a name because usually names are genre specific, so we looked at us being the black sheep in the industry for this area because we’re doing something outside of the norm.”
He continued, “I wanted to give people of the community a different option. Within a month, my business partner, Michael White, and I will expand our food menu and will elevate our cocktail menu even more. I’ve put so much of myself into this and to see it come into fruition is really special.”
The Black Sheep is open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit its website at theblacksheephampden.com.
