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The iconic Mountain Charley’s is getting a second story, literally.
Founded in 1972 and rebranded as Charley’s Los Gatos Bar & Nightclub in 2022, the venue shut its doors in June. Six months later, Second Story was born. The new, upscale cocktail lounge plays old-school hip hop and R&B, has a 1920s-meets-modern aesthetic, and offers a martini cart, caviar service and 14 craft cocktails.
Jamie Garland, co-owner of Second Story and owner of Los Gatos hair salon B Society, said she wanted to create a nightlife venue where people aged 30 to 60 could go out and enjoy themselves.
“We wanted to create this concept that lives right in between (a bar and a club), where you can go out, have a good time, dance, have a great cocktail, and still be able to make it home at a decent hour,” Garland said.
Garland said Mountain Charley’s holds a special place in her heart, calling it “the hot spot to be” when she became of drinking age. Mountain Charley’s Saloon switched ownership multiple times during its five decades in Los Gatos before it became an immersive dining experience for five months in 2021, reopening as a bar and nightclub the following year.
When Garland heard Charley’s was looking to sell, she teamed up with Jameson Parvizad (owner of Campbell’s Water Tower Kitchen and San Jose’s LVL 44 nightclub), Danny Shafazand (owner of Saratoga’s Bell Tower Cafe, Campbell’s Wild Rose and San Jose’s NOVA nightclub) and Sammer Mitri (owner of luxury Airbnbs and tattoo shops).
“There’s a lot of memories in this space, which is why we named it Second Story, just to pay homage and respect to what was Mountain Charley’s, and now building the next chapter for this bar,” Garland said.
From 7-9 p.m., Second Story offers a $25 tableside martini cart, inspired by the London hotel bar Dukes. Three martinis are available to choose from – gin, vodka or a vesper martini, inspired by “James Bond.” Guests may also add a $20 caviar bump to their martini experience.
A unique feature of Second Story’s martini cart is that martinis are neither shaken nor stirred – the liquors (No.3 gin, Belvedere vodka and Chopin rye vodka) are frozen for over five days, so the alcohol is poured straight into the martini glass.
“It’s ice cold, and it doesn’t dilute the martini, so it’s very strong and very fun,” Garland said.
The cocktail menu – divided into “pop me” (Champagne-based cocktails), “stir me” (stirred cocktails), “shake me” (shaken cocktails), “wake me” (espresso martinis) and “cure me” (mocktails) – was developed by bartenders Perry Hewitt and Saul Palomera, who are in the process of opening their own bar in downtown San Jose called Bitter Buck.
“I was like, ‘If anyone’s gonna curate a badass cocktail list it’s them,’” Garland said.
Cocktails go for $17-$21, and top sellers are the Diamond Life (made with Belvedere vodka or Botanist gin, lychee cordial, Ramazzotti rosato, white peppercorn, dry vermouth and bubbles), Cowboy Carter (made with Don Julio reposado, blood orange cordial, vino chinato, Meletti 1870, spiced brown sugar and grapefruit bitters) and Start Me Up (made with Kettle One vodka, Mr. Black, demerara and espresso).
“There’s really a drink for everybody,” Garland said.
Second Story also offers white wine, red wine and Champagne by both the glass ($13-$110) and bottle ($52-$800), a few beer options ($9-$10) and four mocktails ($15), including the Laid Black, made with lavender syrup, lemon balm tea, chamomile tea, fresh squeezed lemon juice and elderflower tonic.
Light bites, such as mixed nuts, marinated olives and pickled vegetables, are available for snacking. Caviar service is served with unsalted potato chips, creme fraiche and chives ($85-$100).
The ambiance is “old school meets new school,” according to Garland, featuring wood with gold and pops of color, light pink furniture, palm plants and a brick wall. Second Story has a DJ at 9 p.m., and while there isn’t a designated dance floor, dancing is encouraged.
“We really want a space for the community and the locals in town where they can come let loose, have a good time,” Garland said. “We want to have a place where people can unwind and enjoy each other’s company.”
Second Story, 15 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; 408-320-6013, Instagram: @secondstorylg. Open Thursday to Saturday 7 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
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