WEAVING ERAS: EBANOS CROSSING

On a non-descript corner of downtown Los Angeles sits a new kid to block, one whose story still begs to be told. On the surface, Ebanos Crossing is just another bar tip-toeing into the foray of downtown’s renaissance, packing with it quiet weapons of a little-known piece of history brought about by American prohibition’s strong-willed libation-lust.

In the 1920s and early ‘30s, our government misguidedly bid adieu to booze. In response, the American people determined that the thirst was strong, and the entrepreneurial spirit God had so blessed his favorite nation with came alive, ushering in an era of corruption and criminal activity centered on feeding the rebels who could not bear to desecrate their beloved temple of divine spirits and forbidden brew. Those hankerings for a sip of inhibition-freeing, stress-removing, miracle liquid were effectively goldmines. Crafty smugglers made their way from Canada somehow to Mexico, and it was across Texas’ Los Ebanos crossing, that rum, whiskey, tequila, and mezcal met and found themselves stealthily traversing the border into American territory together for the first time.

This intriguing story of the four spirits’ first maiden voyage together into the United States is what inspired Justin Shapiro and Haris Bojic (who together form the Urban America business venture) to conceive Ebanos Crossing. Hunting down the only author they could reach on the topic of the Texan ford, writing to and finally speaking with him on the phone to find out as much as they possibly could, Justin explains that they went to such great lengths because the self-proclaimed history obsessives had heard of the story, and “it was like a thread we had to keep pulling.” The first question they received while on the phone with Dr. Diaz, the author they had finally found: “So where in Texas are you from?”

Though the combined geography of their business venture spanned Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, Justin and Haris were nowhere near Texas. Amused but excited, Dr. Diaz was more than happy to divulge his knowledge, helping the fascinated pair flesh out their idea before eventually partnering with L.A.-based Luminosity Entertainment to birth our city’s present incarnation of Ebanos Crossing. True to their vision of capturing the intrigue and sensation of the story, it was only fitting that the duo decided to make Los Angeles, with its heritage steeped in Mexican migration, the backdrop to their new conception.

Four distinct quadrants of the spacious expanse are tactically put together with the intention of providing visitors the option for a different experience each time, each corner conjuring its own vibe with varied lighting and seating options, while still retaining an aura of mysteriousness. Indeed, it’s with the same obsession shown in unveiling the Ebanos Ford’s story that the owners have decorated and styled Ebanos Crossing.

READ MORE ON EBANOS CROSSING IN OUR NEWEST ISSUE HERE