Barraki (Greek: μπαράκι) – a small bar, nightclub or lounge, often used informally to describe a local gathering spot where people meet up, similar to a bodega or a neighborhood hangout. It was the Spring of 2022, when Nick Pantazis and Tom Papadakos decided to make “barraki” a word of their own. Pantazis, a husband and surety bond broker with a newborn daughter at home and Papadakos, a mechanical engineer testing high power nuclear pumps, were eager to get back on the town post-COVID pandemic. Chicago’s social scene was still struggling so Papadakos and Pantazis pitched an idea to their friend Niko Kouretas who happened to be the manager at Clutch Bar Chicago. The idea: a Friday night Greek Independence Day party at one of Chicago’s hottest nightclubs. Pantazis and Papadakos were already familiar with Chicago’s Greek social scene. Pantazis had a ten year background of djing Greek social events in the Chicago-land area as DJ PANTAZI and Papadakos would often aid his friend in setting up speakers and accompanying him to his gigs. Confident that people would attend, Pantazis and Papadakos got Clutch Bar Chicago on board and planned their first takeover. Sure enough, the night was a success. DJ PANTAZI came out of his hiatus and Papadakos worked the room to ensure the guests had fun. Clutch Bar Chicago quickly reached capacity and had record post-COVID sales. VIP bottle service tables were fully booked and a line wrapped around the block. Kouretas agreed to host three more events with Pantazis and Papadakos and from there Barraki Events (“Barraki”) was born. As the brand quickly grew, so did the team. After only 4 events, Pantazis and Papadakos recruited their third partner, George Markopoulos to aid in their venture. Like Pantazis and Papadakos, Markopoulos was new in his professional career as an engineer while balancing his own side business- DJ MARKOS. It was the perfect pairing. Together, DJ PANTAZI and DJ MARKOS’s talents appealed to a broader audience and the addition of Markopoulos allowed the team more face-to-face time on the floor to greet guests and build relationships during events. The main focus of Barraki is to mimic the social scene of Greece in partnership with upscale venues, where one would never expect to hear Greek music. While Barraki’s identity is rooted in Hellenism, their parties cast a wide net as global house and rap/hip-hop music flood the speakers of the opulent venues they partner with. Additionally, their events often include official sponsorships from reputable liquor brands such as Casamigos Tequila and Kástra Elión Vodka. In the short two years of Barraki’s operation, Papadakos, Pantazis, and Markopoulos have expanded their following beyond what they initially imagined. Barraki Events has since worked with establishments in multiple Chicago neighborhoods; Ann Arbor, Michigan; New York City; Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; and Montreal, Canada. Barraki also brings a fresh flair to America’s Greek music scene as they have hosted seven of Greece’s rising musical talents for guest appearances in multiple cities. Although Barraki is most known for fostering a dynamic party, Papadakos, Pantazis, and Markopoulos find ways to participate in and give back to the community. The team collaborates with social media personality Yanni Dimoulis known as 54Thirty, to co-host his annual toy drive for one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals and with the Illinois ENOSIS organization to partake in Chicago’s Greek Independence Parade. Similarly, Barraki Events sponsored one of the national YAL Conferences, Greek-American MMA fighter Valanti “300” Atsas, and Greek-American owned basketball development program Demo Brand. What’s next for Barraki Events? Calendar the date for an upcoming party and see for yourself as most events require no tickets nor advance reservations!