Nathan Mergen, who opened 107 State at that address in June 2019, is expanding next door into the former Shoo store space at 109 State St., for a private dining room and “urban art gallery.”
Mergen said he took name suggestions from his 10-member staff, business partners and regulars Thursday night and they came up with Forma, a Latin and Italian word that means “form, shape or appearance.”
“There was a lot of arguing about this,” he said, adding that the name discussion took hours.
As for the the “urban art gallery” distinction, Mergen said he’s describing it that way because “there will be no Owen Gromme wildlife prints. We are looking for cultural connections to street art and less conventional processes of creation inspired by the young artists of the city and country — metropolitan areas.”
The exhibit, “The Burden of Reality,” showcases the art of Paulina Eguino and Tony Torres.