On Tap

Thigs, located in Old Town Cornelius, features handcrafted cocktails as well as beer, wine and seltzer.

InternatIonal InspIratIon

Travels sparked Kas Matos’ idea for cocktail bar Thigs

by Lara Tumer | Photos courtesy of Facebook

The opening of Lake Norman’s newest cocktail bar came to fruition serendipitously. Thigs, which is located on Main Street in Cornelius, is the product of a longtime dream, a good amount of patience, an eye for design and detail, and the minor mispronunciation of a local bar in a foreign country.

Thigs owner, Kas Matos, is no restauranteur. Instead, he had been working in the car dealership business for about a decade when he was traveling in Europe—Amsterdam specifically. By the recommendation of his hotel concierge, he stumbled into a small but lively cocktail bar—void of TV’s but filled with energy and carefully crafted cocktails. The bar was called “Thijs” pronounced “Tiyes” in Dutch. Matos accidentally butchered the name with his American tongue, calling it “Thigs.” Owning a bar had always been a dream of his and after this trip, Matos felt more inspired than ever to bring the concept of a luxury cocktail bar back home to the Lake Norman area, keeping his new spin on the name of the bar that solidified his business venture.

Being a man with an eye for details, Matos was not in a rush to open doors. He waited until he found the perfect location, and once he secured his spot in Old Town Cornelius, spent some time perfecting the aesthetic. He understood the role social media would play in the success of his business and explains, “Everything needed to be ‘Instagramable,’ from the garnishes to the glassware, each element should be pleasing to the eye.” His personal travel inspired many of the design decisions seen in the space. The blue, brass, and metallic finishes are influenced by a bar Matos visited in Denver, Colo., while the aquatic looking light fixtures hanging above the bar were selected based off something he saw at a bar in Spain. “Even the design choices in the restrooms were extremely selective.” The branded moss wall was an original piece of art. Matos sat at the bar every night for about three weeks placing various colored moss on the installment until it was exactly how he imagined it.

The cocktail menu is the bar’s draw, and just like the interior, every single drink has been created thoughtfully. A mixologist out of Charlotte had a hand in developing the cocktail menu, which was taste-tested for several months before being finalized. Each cocktail looks just as beautiful as it tastes, making them almost too nice to sip on. The bar features a selection of beer, wine, and seltzers for anyone who prefers those over a cocktail. A moderate dress code ensures patrons’ looks match the polished ambiance—disallowing items like baseball caps and athletic gear.

While the drinks are reason enough to visit Thigs, those who’d like to snack while they sip can order a freshly made charcuterie box filled to the brim with local cured meats, artisan cheese, and accompaniments. Like everything else in Thigs, the presentation is idyllic. Cookie boxes, which will soon be swapped for mini cheesecake boxes, are available for a sweet finish.

While Matos considers himself an entrepreneur at heart, he appreciates the challenge that comes with embarking on something new. The bar has been well received by the community and is already filling up each evening with couples on dates, friends meeting for a drink, and later in the night, those who want to indulge in a nightcap.