Most small bars don’t do a meat tray raffle.

But the Friday arvo meat tray is emblematic of the tight-knit community of Hurlstone Park, where Karl Setter and James Sommerlad have opened their small bar, HP Bowlo. The meat trays are made a few doors down at the outstanding Theo’s Cecinas Butchery & Smallgoods, and the bar is named for the suburb’s 70-year-old lawn bowls club, which was demolished in 2017.

Locals themselves, Setter and Sommerlad wanted to create a space for neighbours to gather. “I lived in London for a few years, and I miss that local pub that I could drop into on the way home for work,” Setter tells Broadsheet.

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Hurlstone Park is a quaint suburb with a quiet high street near the station. There are a handful of cafes (including Setter’s HP Source), a grocery store, a pop-up vintage shop and a cobbler, who occasionally also sells honey gathered from local hives. Missing is a solid dinner option, but Setter and Sommerlad didn’t think that’s what the locals really wanted.

“I have a cafe next door and I didn’t want to do food,” says Setter. “The only bars are the RSL or the Hurlstone Park pub, which is very gaming focused. Most locals will tell you the suburb needs a really good bar.”

The Bowlo is focused on supporting small-batch makers, as reflected in the craft beers served from the four taps.

“Marrickville is on our doorstep, but we’re trying to offer things people haven’t tried. Right now we’re featuring White Bay from Rozelle, 7th Day Brewery from Brookvale and Akasha from Five Dock. There are also about 20 different rotating craft beers in cans,” says Sommerlad.

The wine list is a succinct 13 bottles, all offered by the glass. And there are pre-made tinned cocktails by Curatif, including a Margarita, a Negroni, a Mai Tai and an Espresso Martini. “If we had a full bar, we would have lost space for seating, so we opted for delicious pre-made cocktails,” says Sommerlad.

The bar reflects the owners’ experience and consideration for the suburb’s varied demographics. “We thought about all the things we hate about bars, like when the music is so loud you can’t chat with your mates, or lighting so low you can’t read the menu. Our lighting is warm and inviting, and it’s bright enough,” says Sommerlad.

The modern, minimalist design features nods to the original lawn bowls club. On one wall is a mural of painted figures playing the game, and on another 30 balls are mounted so the vertical space looks like a game in progress. There’s also some memorabilia.

“When the club was torn down, a lot of things were chucked into a skip. Locals rescued them. We’ve got a sports jacket, pennant flags, the last members board,” says Setter.

Hurlstone Park often flies under the radar. Locals sometimes describe it as “next to Dulwich Hill” or “two stations from Marrickville”. But inside the community everyone knows each other, and that’s why the Bowlo has fast become a beloved local meeting place.

“Lots of people have a Whatsapp for their street. The day we opened, we didn’t tell anyone and we were full for six hours,” says Sommerlad.

HP Bowlo
6 Crinan Street, Hurlstone Park

Hours:
Wed & Sun 12pm–9pm
Thu 12pm–10pm
Fri & Sat 12pm–late

facebook.com/hpbowlo