Fresh Start in El Arenal: Mother and Son Open the "Star Lounge" in the Former "Why not" Bar

Fresh Start in El Arenal: Mother and Son Open the "Star Lounge" in the Former "Why not" Bar

Swabian cuisine, live sports on TV and a terrace near Balneario 0

If you walk along the second line by the sea in El Arenal these days, you suddenly hear laughter and the clinking of glasses again where for a long time only the wind blew over empty chairs. A woman and her son from Heilbronn have taken over the venue, which had been closed for months in 2022 after a fire, and recently reopened it as the "Star Lounge." What had been a pile of ruins has been transformed into a functional meeting place for tourists and locals.

The new operators, a mother (61) and son (27), moved to Mallorca last summer and immediately began renovation work, a trend reflected in pieces like Nuevo comienzo en El Arenal: los Haudes, su barco «The Phoenix» y la vida en cubierta. According to them, they removed the remains of the fire, tore out old elements and renewed the terrace. The result: space for about 60 guests inside and out, two terraces and an interior room where football matches and other sports broadcasts will be shown in the future.

The menu surprisingly features down-to-earth Swabian dishes: Maultaschen, various salads with potatoes and sausage, and schnitzel – all prepared according to family recipes, the operators say. They don't want to serve a German emigration cliché, but simple, honest food for an international audience: Germans, Britons, Scandinavians and guests from France are now among the visitors.

Opening hours and daily routine are straightforward: open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00, closed on Mondays. The atmosphere is deliberately uncomplicated: in the morning the terrace is swept, in the early evening sports programs run on TV, and in between plates with warm portions are brought out. This is how gastronomy on Mallorca is described here in everyday operation — not a show, but a craft.

The place itself still bears traces of the past: in May 2022 the then-pub was badly damaged by fire. According to the indictment, eight men from North Rhine-Westphalia are linked to the fire; they are accused of deliberate arson and minor bodily harm. Investigations suggest the suspects threw burning cigarettes and flammable liquid onto the reed roof of the terrace; the fire damaged, in addition to the bar, a hotel, a private apartment and a brothel, and several people suffered minor injuries. These investigations proceed independently of the current change of operators.

The new tenants deal openly with the building's history but also emphasize that they are focusing on safety and community: modern fire protection measures, clear procedures in the kitchen and service, and a neighborhood relationship based on transparency. For residents this can be a reassuring signal — especially at a spot where day-trippers, hotel guests and islanders meet.

The reopening has several effects for El Arenal: a small piece of economic life returns, jobs are preserved or newly created, and the street regains a place where people come together, as with Iron Gym Arenal, renovado: Caro y Andreas Robens han reinventado el estudio.

At a time when many shops close seasonally or permanently, that is remarkable. Those who like the smell of freshly brewed coffee mixed with sea air in the morning will now find a place here again, alongside other new ventures such as Krümel inaugura 'Schatzi': Peguera tendrá un restaurante-club con un toque familiar.

Whether the past will overshadow the new future depends not least on how the public deals with it. The operators rely on continuity, integrity and good food instead of sensationalism. For the moment that means: clean tables, TVs that invite you to cheer along, and the scent of Maultaschen on the terrace. This is how a new everyday life is created on site — simple, loud and with a touch of Swabia in Mallorca.

Outlook: Anyone who drops by in the coming months will find a tidy, family-run bar with simple dishes and sports broadcasts. For the neighborhood it is a small sign of normality: a venue that works, serves guests and helps revive the promenade piece by piece.