One of the most distinct remodel updates you'll notice upon entering our place is the lounge. With only a few weekends under our belt since completion, we could not be any happier with how it has been accepted.
It has been very gratifying to see it used like it has been. I was kind of nervous about this big change.
When working on the floor plan and design elements for our remodel, one of the main things I wanted to accomplish was to make our bar experience a little more intimate... a place where adults can comfortably grab a drink.
The old layout had the main thoroughfare for the restrooms and banquet room traveling right down the middle of the bar. We felt there was a market for something that felt like a "hotel bar" with an area to lounge. We also felt that offering a bar to comfortably eat at was another important element. And of course, you almost have to have televisions for those special events... yet we did not want to become a sports bar.
So far this Christmas season, the lounge area has been a favorite of groups before and after their events. We have seen groups of women -at all times during day - lounging it. On several occasions, I have been told that they like it because they can go out for a drink without sitting at the bar, and it offers just the right amount of privacy.
To complete our "lobby bar," we serve an assortment of free snacks that we rotate to anyone who is lounging it. Of course, you can get anything on our menu if you really have the munchies. The amount of people that have been eating at the bar so far has greatly increased. It's just a more comfortable bar to eat at. Our ultra HD televisions are hidden behind a one-way mirror.
One more big change scheduled for later this winter is the addition of live music on the weekends. Instead of just "dining out," we want to become your "evening out." In laying out our lounge, we wanted to tie it to the dining room immediately to the north. We set things up so the last eight feet of this dining room could be elevated to create a stage.
Our plans are to start the music around 8pm and be done before midnight. We will not be charging a cover. I would like to have the same band here for Friday as well as Saturday. The genre of music we will have will vary from jazz to blues to blue grass to anything around and in between. We will have our own house music system and lights to make it easy for artist set up and tear down.
Since doing our shows, I have had hundreds of artists ask about playing here. Most of them I just do not think I could build a show around. Hopefully we can keep an interesting variety of traveling, as well as local, musicians. We are really hoping that we can make this an every weekend type of thing.
To you musicians... we can promise you a top quality PA system, 16 channel board, and lighting all controllable from the stage. Our goal is to make it easy for you. I am presently looking to set up dates as early as late January. Please email ray@uptowngrill.com if you have any interest in discussing this arrangement or if you have an artist you would like to see here.
Thanks,
Ray
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