During the pandemic, many bars and restaurants were forced to close, including a pub called Junkyard, on a small, mostly hidden street in downtown Cluj-Napoca. I knew the owner, who was renting the space from someone living abroad. After the bar had been closed for about a year, I asked him to show me the place.
When we walked in, we were immediately hit by the smell of an abandoned pub. Drinks were still on the tables. It felt like a party that had suddenly stopped, as if everyone had simply vanished. As we looked around, I thought to myself: This would make a great steampunk museum.
We chatted, and I asked him whether he planned to reopen the bar once the restrictions were lifted. He said he had thought about it, but he had always had problems with the neighbours. So I asked if I could take over the lease and make a museum there. He said he would think about it and talk to the landlords.
A few days later he told me he would be happy to hand the space over to me, and if I was truly decided, we could move on to talking with the owners of the building.
This was the moment I had to decide. Since I don't like to waste time, I used the old method: flip a coin and stick with the result. The coin said yes.
Below are some pictures from the moment I found the location for the museum.
