A haunted cocktail lair has taken over two Southeast Michigan bars this fall, with the touring Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon opening at The Skip in Detroit and debuting at Hūnā in Ann Arbor. The Skip's run started September 30 and continues through November 1, while the Ann Arbor stop at Hūnā runs October 1 through October 31, bringing dramatic décor, cinematic lighting, and eerie soundscapes to both venues.
Black Lagoon describes itself as a full sensory experience that blends a cocktail bar, a haunted escape, and a seasonal photo opportunity, according to The Michigan Chronicle. The concept was first dreamed up in 2019 inside The Dungeon, a dive bar in New Orleans, before co-founders Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage launched it as a one-night Halloween pop-up in Toronto in 2021, according to the Houston Chronicle. Hayes previously led beverage programs at Chicago cocktail destinations Three Dots and a Dash and Lost Lake, while Ramage built her reputation co-creating the sustainable cocktail consulting group Trash Collective, per Willamette Week.
From a New Orleans Dive Bar to 34 Cities
What began as a scrappy industry pop-up has since grown into a genuine national franchise. For its 2026 fall tour, Black Lagoon selected 34 partner bars across North America, as reported by Wine Enthusiast. The Skip and Hūnā mark the brand's return to Metro Detroit and its introduction to Washtenaw County, respectively, with Hūnā bringing the concept to Ann Arbor for the first time.
The Skip, a Detroit bar, is one of the pop-up's two Michigan venues. In Ann Arbor, Hūnā opened in early 2026 beneath Echelon Kitchen & Bar at 200 S. Main Street as a subterranean, tiki-inspired cocktail lounge, Hour Detroit Magazine reports, giving the pop-up an entirely different kind of hidden, atmospheric backdrop to work with.
Pumpkin Rum, Mocktails, and Collectible Mugs
Black Lagoon's sponsors include Mr. Black, Teremana and Kraken. Abyssa's Obsession is built with pumpkin-infused Kraken Black and Gold spiced rums, while the Bone Temple cocktail features Teremana Blanco tequila. Non-drinkers aren't left out either: non-alcoholic selections are available. A Bone Temple mug is associated with the Bone Temple cocktail.
Collectible glassware and other immersive elements are central to the experience at both The Skip and Hūnā, and that merchandise angle is no accident. The commercial model for seasonal bar takeovers expanded nationwide following the success of Miracle, a Christmas cocktail pop-up launched in 2014 that proved themed menus and novelty glassware could drive serious revenue, according to SevenFifty Daily. Hospitality trade reporting indicates that franchised pop-ups like Black Lagoon let host bars convert the traditional October lull into a high-margin revenue window by drawing crowds with theatrical menus and immersive design, per Wine Enthusiast.
A Year-Round Pop-Up Business
Hayes and Ramage haven't stopped at Halloween. Following Black Lagoon's national expansion, the pair also launched the winter activation Krampus' Cove, according to Time Out, turning their original dive-bar concept into a multi-season pop-up business that now spans holidays. While the décor and local flavor change from city to city, the underlying beverage program, non-alcoholic offerings, and brand partnerships behind both The Skip's and Hūnā's versions of Black Lagoon are curated nationally by the same two founders.
The Michigan stops join a wider run of Black Lagoon takeovers this fall, including locations in Texas and Ohio that are pouring the same pumpkin rum cocktails and collectible mugs under the same haunted branding. For now, Metro Detroit drinkers have two very different haunted backdrops to choose from: an open-air alley full of murals, or a hidden tiki den beneath a Main Street restaurant.
