The Way Station is a fan's delight. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
“The bathroom is a TARDIS?!?”
If that means anything to you, then you need to make your way to Prospect Heights in Brooklyn the next time you’re in New York City. Because The Way Station not only has a full-size replica of the blue police call box that’s really a Time And Relative Dimension In Space machine (TARDIS), it’s also one of the more amazing steampunk experiences you’ll find in the city.
First, though, some explanation for those of you who have no idea what has just been said.
Dr. Who is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running and most successful science fiction series of all time. Produced by the BBC, this British series has had eleven different actors play the title role of “The Doctor” and has seen production of the program (with one long hiatus in the late 90s) since 1963. It tells the tale of a Time Lord traveling through time and space in a TARDIS disguised as an English police call box. It has
The TARDIS bathroom is the major conversation piece in the establishment. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
also become one of the inspirations for the steampunk movement, because of it’s sets and props that blend steam-powered devices with modern technology.
The Way Station pays homage to all this with a bar that caters to true fans of the steampunk genre and the Dr. Who series. The owner, Anders Heidel, has created not just a bar with a few pictures, but an actual venue for expressing true fandom. Homemade steampunk weapons line the walls (ray guns fashions from copper tubing and wood), turn of the century decor and huge red leather booths, bizarre mechanical devices like the dual fan that spins from the ceiling and old-style clocks everywhere.
And then there’s the TARDIS bathroom.
The blue call box is absolutely the centerpiece of the establishment. Your eye gravitates toward it. You know you want to go inside of it. And when I say, “go,” I mean go, because it is the bathroom, after all. But what makes this TARDIS replica amazing is the cunning bit of engineering that makes the inside of the bathroom bigger than it appears on the outside. As fans of the Dr. Who series will know, the TARDIS is seemingly infinite in scope and even The Doctor has not explored all the rooms inside of it. So the fact that the bathroom is double the size of what it appears on the outside is a true delight.
Owner, Anders Heidel, has a crated a rich fan experience. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
Anders, in answer to the obvious questions about copyright simply shrugs and says, “The BBC has taken the stance of just ignoring my TARDIS.” To which I say, “Kudos to the BBC!” Because this is free promotion for the show like none I’ve ever seen.
Where the experience really gets good, however, is after happy hour as the bar begins to fill for the evening’s live music. I don’t know why this surprised me, but people began to show up in costume dressed as their favorite Dr. Who characters. Wigs, clothing, steampunk goggles — some of these cosplay outfits were truly elaborate. And it energized the place with a great feel.
Anders writes a blog for the bar, so check it out for all the Dr. Who episode screenings and live music offerings. And definitely make some time to check out this uniquely wonderful expression of science fiction fandom.
Patrons will often dress up as their favorite characters from the Dr. Who series. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
Steampunk weaponry lines the walls. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
Kitschy detail is everywhere, like this needlepoint TARDIS tissue box. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
Fans arrive in awe of the decor. (Image: Bob Knorpp)
The Way Station
683 Washington Avenue
Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NY
(917)279-5412
Robert Knorpp is host of The BeanCast Marketing Podcast at thebeancast.com and is President of The Cool Beans Group, a marketing strategy consultancy based in New York City. He likes laughing even more than breathing. You can follow the madness on Twitter at twitter.com/BobKnorpp.
