A shot-sized bar, only serving shots

By Damian Kelly

Pacific Legal Network

Avid readers of Pacific Legal Network articles and newsletters will have seen that the phrase “this is the smallest bar” gets thrown around quite frequently. I guess that is what happens when you have a recurring segment dedicated to small bars. But, I am proud to say that while on exchange in Poland at fellow IAG member firm, SDZ Legal, I have found definitely the smallest public bar to feature on the hallowed pages of www.pln.com.au.

Upon arriving in Wroclaw, Poland for a three week exchange I had been asked by no less than 12 people as to whether I had plans to visit Gdansk and Trojmiasto. Trojmiasto roughly translates to “The Three Cities” and is constituted of Gdynia, Gdansk and Sopot. Following the multiple hints, I promptly booked a flight to Gdansk, accommodation and train back to Wroclaw for a weekend trip.

Luckily for me, a colleague in the SDZ Legal office in Wroclaw was also heading to Gdansk for the weekend. Marek Michalski, a Polish tax adviser was going to Gdansk for a buck’s party but offered a tour of the old town so I could learn about Polish history.

Marek was kind enough to sacrifice his Saturday morning to point out where the initial steps were taken that lead to Poland becoming an independent democratic state separate from the influence of the USSR. Marek also explained how the country was impacted by Nazi occupation during the Second World War, with the first battle of the War in Europe occurring just north of Gdansk.

After the history lesson, we were feeling thirsty and so headed to the pub to enjoy a local beer called Amber. Feeling refreshed and with the weather clearing up we headed to Sopot which can only be described as the Bondi of Poland.

Sopot features sand, a pier and lots of bars! So, after a walk along the pier and views of the beach it was only polite to have another beer – this time imported, a Heineken because that’s as close as you can get to a Solbrew when you have sand between your toes in Poland.

At this point Marek and I were joined by a dozen or so of his friends on the buck’s weekend away. After some “G’days” (Australian for hello) and “Cześć!” (Polish for hello) – I was asked to join for a while longer. That’s when I was led to the smallest bar we have on record!

Images by Damian Kelly | Location: Poland

In Sopot is a bar so small it only serves shots! Called Lumi, the bar is contained wholly within the basement of a restaurant and easy to miss. The menu is simple, just fluorescent lit boards with dozens and dozens of pictures and associated names. There is limited explanation on what is contained in each shot, and it is probably better that way!

Lumi bars are easy to miss unless you are purposely seeking one out. It helps to bump into a buck’s or hen’s party (of which there are from my experience a multitude to happen across in Sopot).

Despite having more shots on offer than square footage, I’ve been told on a quiet afternoon you may be able to coax the sole-bartender to innovate a new mix.

There are actually several of these bars littered across Trojmiasto. But they all feature similar menus and more often than not are down narrow and dimly lit staircases. So if you are in town, and are feeling thirsty after visiting the Second World War battlefield at Westerplatte in the north of Gdansk, or swimming in the frigid Baltic Sea at Sopot, or watching ships go by in the port of Gdynia, you know where to go.

Even if this wasn’t the smallest bar, it definitely was one of the most fun!