In the centre of Palma, situated in the Plaça del Banc de l' Oli, is the only pub/bar in the city where silence is the 'king' of the dance floor. Listening to music and dancing without disturbing anyone has been possible for the last two years at La Casa de Cookie.
The place, run by the Thorsten Sievers, has a new concept that is very different from the rest of the businesses: it has changed the loudspeakers for headphones.
At first glance, nothing is unusual. Inside are the typical elements of a bar, a counter, sofas to sit on or shelves with different bottles. However, the low volume of the background music and a table full of wireless headphones suggests that this is no ordinary pub.
Once there, the first drink is accompanied by a pair headphones, which are returned when you leave the venue. The next step is to go down the stairs that lead to the dance room, where silence reigns and only the sound of shoes and a few whispers can be heard. In this area, the headphones, differentiated between red, blue and green, are the main stars. Each shade represents a different style of music (rock, electronic and pop), which the client can change at the touch of a button throughout the night.
There is also no DJ at La Casa de Cookie. Instead, there are three tablets, one for each type of music, on which the customer can add their song to the playlist. And yes, you can talk to the person next to you. You only have to remove one or both earphones, as there is nothing but silence in the background.
La Casa de Cookie is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 8pm to 3am, although at 2am the music is turned off so that customers are aware that there is little time left before closing time.
As in many other venues, people who have a drink left over and leave are given a cup, but in this case, a very original container with the name and the image of a painting of the pub is given as a gift.
The idea of transforming a former champagne bar into a silent nightlife venue came from Germany. Thorsten Sievers had seen it in Germany and decided to take a chance and set it up in Palma. The choice of the name is another story.
"My husband is called Cookie and as everything in Mallorca is Can Joan, Can Pedro, he decided to call it La Casa de Cookie", explains Pamela del Olmo. Although it took a while for the business to get off the ground, as it opened during the pandemic, as time went by word spread among residents and, more so for the summer, among tourists.
Today, it has a larger clientele of all types and ages. It is not aimed at a specific profile. "The other day, a group of ladies came to celebrate their 60th birthday, but there are also young residents and Erasmus students. The ages are very diverse", says the owner's wife.
As for future plans, they want to set up a terrace with a few tables for customers to have a drink and start preparing some tapas. They also have in mind to try out a DJ one night to see if it works with their business model, a new way of enjoying music that is, to say the least, different.