if any city would name a street West 5th/4th, Cincinnati would be the one to do it

 

uhhh...its refering to an area 4th/5th streets area (hence 4th/5th district..not street).  But thx anyways for the compliment of being the one to name a district logically.

if any city would name a street West 5th/4th, Cincinnati would be the one to do it

 

uhhh...its refering to an area 4th/5th streets area (hence 4th/5th district..not street). 

 

 

 

(i know)

^I'm not sure I understand then....(I'm oblivious to the obvious sometimes)  :|

 

I think the location at the corner of 4th & Plum would be perfect for a hip national chain like Lucky Strike Lanes.  I had the pleasure of visiting the one in Chicago and was surprised to find that it was a chain.  It has also entered the Louisville market so any sort of distribution channel would not be an issue due to the proximity of Louisville to Cincinnati.  While most of us frown at national chains, many will acknowledge the lure of them when they offer a hot product.

 

We used to have Jillian's in the area that provided a retro hipster approach to bowling and with that closing we are left with these tired old bowling alleys around the metro that offer nothing for the young urban crowd.  Many young professionals don't go to bowling alleys because of the crowd rather than the game itself.

 

I think this product would work downtown, it would provide a unique entertainment value to the area and would stimulate this district as Cincinnati's new entertainment district and coupled with local businesses would offer a great product.  The problem is I can't seem to find a corporate email address to contact them.  If you come across one, let me know.

 

In the mean time, check out the site if you aren't familiar with Lucky Strike Lanes.

 

http://www.bowlluckystrike.com/

 

>Many young professionals don't go to bowling alleys because of the crowd rather than the game itself.

 

But aren't these magical young professionals supposed to be so open minded?  They'll go to Africa or Central America on some poverty mission, but snub their noses at the Glenmore Bowl regulars?   

>Many young professionals don't go to bowling alleys because of the crowd rather than the game itself.

 

But aren't these magical young professionals supposed to be so open minded?  They'll go to Africa or Central America on some poverty mission, but snub their noses at the Glenmore Bowl regulars?   

^And paying thousands of dollars out of their pocket to volunteer...

 

Why? Because theres a certain coolness factor to it. Not only do you get to travel but you look good for helping people at the same time. A few of my friends have gone on mission trips to Honduras and it made me think the same thing: Why not give people in your own community the same help for FREE?! Theres certainly people in America that live like third world citizens.

Oh for the love of god, take that conversation somewhere else.  This thread is about developing West 4th/5th.  I don't care about west side hangups.  We see enough "good ole boy" entertainment options in the midwest, it has nothing to do with being close minded or elitist.  It has to do with personal preference.  Plus I can't stand country music with a passion and you know it is rare to step into a Bowling Alley and get through a few games without having to endure that music.

 

I was also taken to the "Knotty Pine" several weeks ago and I would be happy if I never visited it again.  The people were friendly, but 80's hair bands, tapered wranglers & flannels is not my idea of an evening.

Nice job putting down west side bowling alleys by comparing them to ones in trendy Chicago. I'd love to see it work in downtown Cincinnati but I hate when people act like it's Cincinnati's duty to measure up to Chicago...the trendiest areas, at that. You have to realize the type of people that live on the west side. I went to Madison Bowl a few times and liked it despite it not being updated since forever, but it draws pretty much every demographic of people. I can't even remember what kind of music they played because I didn't care.

I saw that as well and thought it was just awful. As far as I know, there's no historic precedent. I think it was just dreamed up by these dudes.

 

I suppose it's possible that at some point in the 19th century there were dry goods manufacturers or stores in the area, and that these either made or distributed soaps or soapboxes, so maybe there's some tenuous connection.

 

But to hear this guy say it, the Soapbox District is a place for young people in Cincinnati to "have a voice" or somesuch nonsense. Really, guy? You sat around and thought about this and, presumably, ran it by your associates and friends, and then you and everyone agreed that it sounded good? Huh.

 

Unless this fellow has a personality cult with which I am not familiar, there is no way that name sticks. If there really is a reason to call it the Soapbox District, well, I am prepared to be enlightened. But I'll still think it's a silly name.

 

Man, these guys are entrepreneurs and that to me earns my respect. They have balls and are willing to take risk, when no one else will. Whether or not the name is cheesy ... that is subjective, but there motive is to re-package the area and sell it to the public. If someone wants to bitch about the name, then they should put their financial resources on the line, take the risk, slap the label (whatever it might be) on the package, and then try to sell it to the public.

 

I say good for them.

Nice job putting down west side bowling alleys by comparing them to ones in trendy Chicago.

 

LOL, I am putting down all bowling alleys, this isn't a west side exclusive diss.  The Lucky Strike I visited was in Chicago, this franchise is based out of LA.  I wasn't comparing anything to Chicago and was mearly explaining my thoughts on this Bowling concept fitting perfectly at the 4th & Plum location of Cincinnati.

I am always a little concerned when they open a bar with such limited hours, like Bang being only open Wednesday's and Saturday's.  I assume Mainstay will have Nick Lachey involved based on the previous ventures, but this is good to see someone doing something to add options to the city.  I also think the parking lot between Fourth and Fifth on plum could be ripe for a new entertainment destination  - maybe a packaged structure with Lucky Strike and an ESPNZone.  If the bars and tentative restaurant/bar from the owner of Beluga do well there will be interest, and as much as most people on here are anti-chain (me included) these are the types of places that will broaden the market.

corporate bars just lack soul.  I'll bet any money that the first crop of bars that open up on the banks will be big chain bars though.

^ I envision the Banks being something along the line as condos with some Baltimore Harbor thrown in.

>Oh for the love of god, take that conversation somewhere else.  This thread is about developing West 4th/5th.  I don't care about west side hangups.  We see enough "good ole boy" entertainment options in the midwest, it has nothing to do with being close minded or elitist.  It has to do with personal preference.

 

Entertainment "options", food "options", come on.

 

>I was also taken to the "Knotty Pine" several weeks ago and I would be happy if I never visited it again.  The people were friendly, but 80's hair bands, tapered wranglers & flannels is not my idea of an evenin

 

Aren't you married?  What the heck were you doing over there?  So would you rather they be unfriendly, if they were wearing $1,000 shoes?  Because that's exactly what the big dance clubs in New York and Miami are.  A bunch of fakes burning through their inheritences.

 

 

>corporate bars just lack soul.  I'll bet any money that the first crop of bars that open up on the banks will be big chain bars though.

 

No kidding, the rent will have to be huge down there in order for the developer to make money, that means canned music and $5 beers. 

>am always a little concerned when they open a bar with such limited hours, like Bang being only open Wednesday's and Saturday's.

 

Yeah maybe on Sundays in the summer they could have teen night to help balance the books. 

 

I really don't understand why someone would take the financial risk of opening one of these places, almost no night clubs last more than three years and it's always unclear how they make back the hundreds of thousands they put into decor.  Meanwhile a corner bar can easily make $1,000 a week, I know a guy who made $500 cash a night on weekends bartending at a small bar where he was the only bartender for two years until the owner sold it and put an end to it.  If you are an owner and you bartend a few nights a week, you can flirt with $100K, usually enough to buy the building you're in.   

^ Cash flow.  If its a hit, they burn fast - but bright.

500 people a night @ $5 cover (or more) that $5000 over two nights. Put in drinks at ~$10/person average thats another $10,000.  $15,000/week at least.  I wouldn't be surprised if CLAU brought in more than that.

 

Its my understanding that a strong performing club should pay for itself in 12-18mths.  After that its gravy until you reconcept.

 

Its a risk, but if works, its hard to beat the ROI.

Aren't you married?  What the heck were you doing over there? 

 

Jake you definitely have some hang-ups and are you saying I can go out because I am married?  It was a guys night out and the person that took us there was originally from Norwood and he wanted to revisit his old stomping grounds. I don't know why I brought it up, must of been your reference to Glenmore Bowl :)

 

So would you rather they be unfriendly, if they were wearing $1,000 shoes?  Because that's exactly what the big dance clubs in New York and Miami are.  A bunch of fakes burning through their inheritences.

 

Sounds like you are generalizing these people and are guilty of the same thing you are accusing me of.  Look man, different people like different things.  You don't have to like the trendy urban scene of cities, but don't make it sound like I close minded because I could give two shits about the rural mentality that floats around some of these establishments. 

 

Now lets get back on topic or take this to PM.

>Jake you definitely have some hang-ups and are you saying I can go out because I am married?  It was a guys night out and the person that took us there was originally from Norwood and he wanted to revisit his old stomping grounds. I don't know why I brought it up, must of been your reference to Glenmore Bowl

 

To be precise, you likely passed and certainly were within walking distance of Heid's Lanes, Glenmore is about 5 miles south.   

 

>Sounds like you are generalizing these people and are guilty of the same thing you are accusing me of.  Look man, different people like different things.  You don't have to like the trendy urban scene of cities, but don't make it sound like I close minded because I could give two shits about the rural mentality that floats around some of these establishments. 

 

Well sorry if I don't need granite counter tops to impress women. 

I like the idea of a bowling alley of some sorts downtown.  It adds a certain element that is typically only found in the 'burbs.  The whole objective is to make downtown vibrant and full of life.  By adding certain things like: movie theatre, bowling alley, grocery store, video rental, etc; you create an environment that feels welcoming to the average joe, and would make them feel more comfortable living in an urban environment.

 

Whether you like rich people or not...or whether you like bowling alleys or not...I feel that this would be a helpful component for the transition of downtown from a 9-5 destination to a 24 hour community.

 

 

On another note:

Well sorry if I don't need granite counter tops to impress women.

 

WTF is that supposed to mean...sometimes you get a little wacky jmeck :wtf:

I have noticed that Jmeck seems to be against anything that is the slightest bit upscale.  He has criticized wealthy people in Nashville as well as Cincinnati as well as upscale restaurants and bars.  It seems like the only things he likes is gritty west side bars and establishments. 

I think everyone is missing, or assuming and not stating the obvious. With bigger conventions on their way, and more residents on 4th the time is ripe for something big to happen in the 4th/5th Street area. Living at 7th and Race I have someone stop me almost daily and ask what there is to do and were there is to eat. If they wandered that far looking for something, why make them search? I think almost anything eating or entertainment wise would have a captive audience right there.

Downtown club opens in March

BY JOHN ECKBERG | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

January 19, 2007

 

CINCINNATI - Owners of Bang Nightclub plan to open in March on the northwest corner of Fourth and Plum streets downtown with an eye on the changes expected along Fourth Street in the months and years to come.

 

The nightclub, which will seat 300 people and fill 6,000 square feet of a historic building between Plum and Central Avenue, will anchor a budding entertainment district in the southwest part of the Cincinnati central business district, according to Josh Heuser, a 28-year-old Newport resident and co-owner of Bang.

 

"There is a void that needs to be filled in Cincinnati, and Bang will be it," he said.

 

A nearby mix of retail, residential and 8-5 office workers fueled the project.

 

Heuser is teaming with Nick Grammas, 25, of Anderson Township, who is the former owner of the Exchange, a nightclub on Main Street in Over-the-Rhine.

 

Heuser has been involved with the defunct nightclubs Club Clau and Purgatory in Over-the-Rhine and Continental Lounge in Covington.

 

The architect for the project is Michael Schuster Associates/MSA, also a Fourth Street business.

 

"Our vision - we're going for an older crowd, 25 and up," said Grammas.

 

"There's really no club lounge to go to in Cincinnati after a nice dinner. We are going after a higher-end clientele."

 

They expect professionals, touring entertainers and professional athletes to be among that clientele.

 

The opening of the club will finally bring fresh activity to the west side of downtown, said Lakesha Carr, owner of Posh Boutique, across the street from Bang.

 

"It will definitely bring more life to the area. I can't wait to see it open," Carr said.

 

On Thursday workers were putting custom Rookwood tile on walls and plumbers were installing pipes for restrooms.

 

Plans call for a contemporary interior of elevated booths with poured concrete counters embedded with broken red, orange, white or blue glass.

I drove down 4th stret in December going West and I saw some very trendy windows and shops...didn't seem to empty or vacated.  Did I drink too much that night or are there actually nice looking store fronts there?

OMG ... I can't believe it!

New downtown nightclubs opening

BY LAUREN BISHOP | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

April 19, 2007

 

DOWNTOWN - Two new nightclubs are scheduled to open in Cincinnati in the next three weeks, and a third is undergoing a name change.

 

Bang Nightclub, at the corner of Fourth and Plum streets downtown, will open to the public at 9 p.m. Saturday April 21. Its regular hours will be 9 p.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, while Fridays will be reserved for charity functions and special events.

 

Partners Josh Heuser and Nick Grammas aim to attract a 25-and-older crowd to the upscale, 6,000-square-foot club.

 

It features custom Rookwood tile, a fiery red, orange and yellow décor and private booths with TVs. Its Web site (www.bangnightclub.com) proclaims, “Wake up Cincinnati!”

 

Heuser, a 28-year-old Mount Adams resident who is moving downtown, was the manager of the now-closed Club Clau and Purgatory nightclubs in Over-the-Rhine and a partner in the Continental Lounge in Covington.

 

Grammas, 25, of Anderson Township is a former owner of the Exchange on Main Street in Over-the-Rhine.

 

Although Clau, Purgatory and the Continental Lounge were open for less than two years each, Genine Drozd-Fallon, the club’s publicist, said Bang will be different.

 

“This isn’t something we’re looking to have open for a year,” she said. “This isn’t a sprint. This is a marathon.”

 

In other nightclub news:

--Ocho Rios, a new club in the former Club Clau and Purgatory space at the corner of 12th and Sycamore streets in Over-the-Rhine, will open to the public 8 p.m. May 4.

 

The name is Spanish for “eight rivers.” Owner Kiesha Elliot, 35, of Mount Airy, said the 21-and-older club will feature international music, a “vacation atmosphere” and an invitation-only VIP area.

 

--The Northside club formerly known as Alchemize, 3929 Spring Grove Ave., has changed its name to Decibel Lounge, property owner Jodi Donaldson said this week.

 

Donaldson and her husband, Doug, parted ways with Alchemize manager Nick Spencer last month, claiming Spencer had mismanaged the club’s finances.

 

Spencer denied the claim, saying the Donaldsons forced him out.

 

The concerts that had been scheduled for when the club was called Alchemize will go on, and most of the club’s employees and DJs are on staff, Donaldson said.

Spencer plans to reopen Alchemize elsewhere.

 

Alchemize first opened at 1122 Walnut St. in Over-the-Rhine in October 2004. It moved to Northside last September after Spencer said crime in Over-the-Rhine was driving away patrons.

I drove by Bang, and I must say ... it's looking HOTT, HOTT, HOTT! ;) ... I'm going Saturday the 21st, anyone else going?

I wonder why Bang is not participating in the Downtown HopAround this weekend.  Maybe they feel their customers will not be the same ones who will be participating in the HopAround?  I think that any sort of publicity would be good publicity.  I was a little disappointed not to see them involved.  The hubby and I will be at the Federal Reserve for the Hop Around, so we might walk down and check out Bang.  I think they have a cover charge, and I don't believe I have to pay to get into places, and then turn around and pay for drinks. So we will see.....

Bang set to open downtown

April 20, 2007 | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER

 

PHOTO: Jason Rodgers (left) and Jim Owens, both of Ryan's All Glass, install a Plexiglas panel Thursday as preparations continue for this weekend's opening of Bang, a new nightclub.

THE ENQUIRER/GARY LANDERS

 

PHOTO: Employee Eugene Engleman cleans the floor Thursday to prepare for Bang's opening.

THE ENQUIRER/GARY LANDERS

 

DOWNTOWN - After investing more than a half-million dollars to renovate their space on Fourth Street downtown, owners of Bang will unveil their new nightclub April 21.

 

The club will be open from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Friday nights will be reserved for charity events and private parties, a spokeswoman for the owners said.

 

Owners Nick Grammas and Josh Heuser have divided the 6,000 square feet at 314 W. Fourth Street into a series of distinct spaces with such names as Flame, Explode and Ignite. The club features 2,500 square feet of tile and mosaics with special emphasis on Cincinnati's Rookwood Tile Co., which custom-made $40,000 worth of tile for the club.

 

Heuser is best known for helping to launch and run Main Street's Club Clau and the now defunct Continental Lounge in Covington. This is the first time he has had an ownership stake. Grammas is an investor in The Exchange on Main Street.

 

In an interview with the Courier in December, the two said they view Fourth Street as an ideal spot for a new club because of the new residential development there.

 

"The city has to have a backbone, and we believe Fourth is the backbone," Heuser said at the time.

Did anyone go to Bang on Saturday?  How was it?  I wanted to go but had plans that were scheduled months in advance.

^ Guy at the gym said it was absolutely packed.  He guessed about a two hundred in the place about midnight with a huge line trying to get in.  Said he left about 3:00.

The changing fronts of Fourth Street

BY JESSIE GRIDLEY | DOWNTOWNER

November 6, 2007

 

DOWNTOWN - The change Downtown has been called many words: renaissance; revitalization; the comeback kid.

 

It happens in small increments, with doors opening and closing, revamps, and the Via Vite structure coming to Fountain Square.

On Fourth Street alone there exists a single block that will wear a new face in the coming months as Bromwell's lights new fires Downtown, Pigall's Twist Lounge and Bar teams up with Jean-Robert at Pigall's, and a business banker fills the skeleton of the Federal Reserve Piano Lounge.

 

All in all, these changes are happening to keep up with the changing pace and needs of Downtowners: making business transactions, shopping or coming Downtown for dinner and more.

 

Bromwell's, 117 W. Fourth St. The glowing embers of a fireplace still greet guests as they enter the 188-year-old fireplace and hearth showroom of Bromwell's.

Jeff McClorey, the owner of Downtown's oldest retailer, officially unveiled the redesigned business Nov. 3; a whole new upstairs showcase awaits customers.

 

With the flick of a switch, McClorey ignites fireplace after fireplace, creating a home away from home with the turn of every corner. The two house cats, part of an animal tradition at Bromwell's, comfortably lounge on the refurbished original oak floors.

 

Contemporary or traditional, Bromwell's has an array of home decor and furnishings. Black crushed glass glows like volcanic rock in the heart of the Black Diamond Burner by Town & Country. The increased need for higher quality fireplace systems and growing demand for systems for Downtown dwellings prompted McClorey to revamp and expand the selection of the store that has been around for almost two centuries. Boi Na Braza, Brazilian Steakhouse in Carew Tower sought out Bromwell's expertise when igniting their atmosphere Downtown.

 

"It's the centerpiece of the room," says McClorey, adding that a disgraceful fireplace is "a real letdown to the rest of the home."

As part of the expansion, McClorey says that the showroom also will have two home theaters with seats come December. He is partnering with a state-of-the-art audio/visual company to provide a "one-stop shopping experience for the high-end shopper."

 

All in all, McClorey and his wife Tracy bought the building three years ago with more than just a vision for Bromwell's. [glow=yellow,2,300]The two are completely gutting the top floor of the building to create their own urban dwelling.[/glow] McClorey truly has a knack for visualizing, as he explains how the 7,000-square-foot space will even have part of the ceiling removed to create an outdoor terrace with a million-dollar view of the stadiums, bridges, Ohio River and the rest of Cincinnati's backyard.

 

"[glow=yellow,2,300]There's prestige to being Downtown again[/glow]," he says, "Pigall's is next door it doesn't get much better in Downtown than on Fourth Street."

 

For more information on what's heating up Downtown, visit www.Bromwells.com or call (513) 621-0620

 

Pigall's Twist Lounge and Bar, 121 W. Fourth St.

McClorey excitedly talks about the addition of Pigall's Twist to the West Fourth Street block, as he is leasing the space to Jean-Robert de Cavel.

 

"I approached Jean-Robert, and we ended up striking a deal," says McClorey.

 

When Dodd's Jewelers closed doors in June, the Jean-Robert French Restaurant Group saw an opportunity to expand. Pigall's Twist will be directly connected to Jean-Robert at Pigall's through the bar area.

 

"We want a living roomstyle lounge with the atmosphere to be sexy, contemporary, comfortable, big-city feel and welcoming for any age who just feels the need to enjoy life, treat themselves or just take a break from their everyday life any day of the week," says Annette Pfund-de Cavel in an e-mail.

 

"With all of the activity Downtown, we try to bring something for before an evening [out on the town] or after an evening," Jean-Robert de Cavel says as he meets to discuss Twist details at Pigall's.

 

A limited bites menu will be available from happy hour to a late snack, but the concentration will be on the champagne and cocktail bar. The members of the Jean-Robert French Restaurant Group hope to open the doors Thanksgiving weekend.

 

Visit www.Jean-RobertatPigalls.com

 

Stock Yards Bank & Trust opens, Federal Reserve leaves Downtown's 101 W. Fourth St. location

The music moves from West Fourth Street to Newport on the Levee as Federal Reserve Piano Lounge closes its doors.

But with the closing comes a new addition to the ever-changing block on West Fourth Street.

 

Stock Yards Bank & Trust, a Louisville-based bank, is expanding from its temporary location at the Scripps Center to the central location of the business district.

 

Executive Vice President Ja Hillebrand says that the bank, which has signed a 10-year lease, will deal mostly with private clients, business owners and companies.

 

Don't expect to see clients waiting in long lines on tiled floors with taupe paint on the walls at this bank. [glow=yellow,2,300]Renovations are in progress to restore the location's architecture back to a 1920's grandeur.[/glow]

 

"It's not going to look like any bank you are familiar with think more boutique than bank," says Hillebrand.

 

Much of this look will come from the pre-existing architecture of the old Federal Reserve Piano Lounge location, which will work well with the desired design.

 

"You could spend all kinds of money and still not get the look," says Chip Workman, vice president of the private banking group and a Cincinnati native.

 

Stephen Brown has also joined the company as senior vice president to help develop the Cincinnati market.

 

Hillebrand tells that this Downtown location could be the start of more Stock Yards Bank & Trusts to come locally. "We're going to be a community bank some day."

 

Stock Yards Bank & Trust officials estimate that the location will be open in January.

 

As for Federal Reserve Piano Lounge, it will move into the Southview BBQ location at the Levee. Ashley Nathanson, marketing/events coordinator for Newport on the Levee, says that the new name will be Reserve Restaurant & Piano Lounge.

 

For more information on the bank coming to Downtown, check out their Web site at www.syb.com

Any new developments\rumors involving 4th street?

History, food, power to mix at Fourth Street's Boss Cox

BY LISA BIANK FASIG | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER

December 14, 2007

 

DOWNTOWN - The co-owner of downtown Cincinnati's Bang Nightclub is delivering on his pledge to bring additional entertainment to the West Fourth Street district, this time with a restaurant steeped in local lore.

 

[glow=yellow,2,300]Josh Heuser, with partners Joe Creighton and Chicago chef Daniel Wright, plans to open Boss Cox next spring.[/glow] The $1.7 million venture, which will seat up to 175 people, is described as a "gastro pub" with upscale dishes in a more casual setting. Examples of the menu include a lobster BLT, braised rabbit and goat cheese gnocchi.

 

This concept is born from the restaurant's inspiration, George "Boss" Cox, a two-term city councilman in the 1880s who used money and influence to gain control of the city. As his namesake, the restaurant will feature Cincinnati photos and artifacts from that historic period.

 

[glow=yellow,2,300]Boss Cox is among four entertainment venues that Heuser, through his co-owned development company, Troika Group, wants to open on West Fourth Street by the end of 2008. A third, a rock bar called Mainstay, is still in the planning stage.[/glow]

 

"I just strongly believe in the area," Heuser said. "I promise we are not going to stop short of getting a minimum of three places, if not four."

 

That corner of downtown is emerging as a self-contained community. Roughly 480 apartments and condominiums exist in the Fourth Street historic district, from Vine Street to Central Avenue, said Dacia Snider, director of special projects at Downtown Cincinnati Inc. Based on a common estimate of 1.5 people per unit, that's 720 people within a few blocks.

 

"Those (units) primarily have been geared toward young professionals, and I know the occupancy rates have been in the mid- to high-90s," Snider said.

 

[glow=yellow,2,300]Boss Cox will be in a four-story building at 312 W. Fourth St.[/glow] Troika, which includes partners Patrick McBride and Nick Grammas, invested $850,000 in acquiring the site and building it out. Creighton, who recently returned from Florida to partner on the eatery, is investing another $850,000 in the renovation and development of Boss Cox. (Creighton and Wright are not partners in Troika.)

 

"To open the restaurant, it's something I always wanted to do," Creighton said.

 

[glow=yellow,2,300]The top three stories of the building, at 2,400 square feet each, will be leased as Class B office space.[/glow]

 

This is Heuser's fourth local entertainment project. In addition to Bang, in which he also has an ownership stake, he helped launch and run - but did not own - the former Club Clau on Main Street and the former Continental Lounge in Covington.

 

[glow=yellow,2,300]"There's really a synergy downtown right now, aside from the Seventh and Walnut district," Heuser said. [/glow]

Its exciting and all this is going on down there, but I'd like to see something built we can go to on a daily basis. A nice coffee/pastry shop for one.

Not everyone in the 4/5th area is a ballplayer who can go to Bang two nights a week.

Boss Cox doesn't sound like something that will be affordable for regular people either, so even if they feel they are, these new places are not going to be regularly attended by the local residents on 4th.

But I could be wrong.

^ Agree

I keep telling people to enjoy Cincinnati right now and live in the moment.

We're on the verge of getting what everyone has been wishing for.

Twist Lounge

 

I spent a little over two weeks in Cincinnati for the holiday's. Stopped by Twist a few times.

 

It doesn't look like it at first glance, but it's a pretty laid back place.  The drink prices are on par with other places around the CBD, maybe a bit less than some.  All of the appetizers I tried were unique and tasty (although not the place to go if you are planning on a dinner of bar appetizers, go to Palomino's happy hour for that).

 

They have around three or four different menus: Appetizers, Wines, Drinks and Liquors, and maybe one more.  Sometimes I had to ask for one of the other menus after the wait person came by the table the first time. If you don't see something on the menu(s) they hand you, as if they have one for whatever you're interested in (personally, I'd prefer one of those drink/appetizer menus that list everything.  Sometime I don't now what I want until I see it).

 

The setting reminds me a lot of a hotel bar/lounge hotel.  Other than the very long bar, the seating is living room style, with several seating ares set up around ottomans which double as coffee tables, and small side tables to hold drinks or plates. They don't seem to mind if you move the furniture around.

 

The crowd size varied from visit to visit, but I really couldn't predict a pattern.  The first night (a Tuesday), we stopped in after the upstairs bar at Via Vite close.  JeanRo Bistro was already closed when we walked by.  There were a handful of people at Twist when we arrived, but I think we were the last to leave around 2:00 am (hey, I was on vacation).

 

The second night was a Thursday and earlier in the evening.  Not too busy when we arrived, but got busy fast.  Saw a few neighbors, and I think I spotted a couple of forum members.

 

The final visit was a Sunday evening an hour or two after the Cleveland/Cincinnati game.  Not too many people there. A few people at the bar that had obviously been to the game.

 

I never made it in on a Friday or Saturday, so I don't know what that's like.  I suspect it's just a busier version of the other evenings.

 

Jean Robert walked through on two of my visits.  I guess he stays actively involved in what's going on next door at Pigal's (which is nice to see for someone as busy as he must be).

 

Over all, I think it makes a great addition to the downtown scene. It's a great place to stop in before or after dinner, or after a show.  They don't have a fixed closing time, but they appear to be interested in catching the crowd after many of the other places close.  Especially during the week.

Thanks, the wife and I keep talking about hitting Twist, now that the holidays are over we may have time to stop and check it out.

been to twist twice, (say that three times fast).  Chill, but classy, 4.50 otr ales, but 10+ cocktails, which isn't any more than you would pay in any other city.  It appeals to a little too old of a crowd, but I think it has legs

Alabama ExPat, we were also there the night that the Bengals and Browns played. There was a group of about 15 of us near the front.

I think a few of us may check it out this weekend.  We are all mid-upper 20's.....so I'll report our experience if we go.

Seems like Twist picked up many of the Reserve Piano Bars customers when they jumped the river.  I don't think I have been to Newport on the Levee in a year.

^I don't go to Newport either as much as I did when I first moved here.  The only place I really don't mind going to is the Hoff House

been to twist twice, (say that three times fast).  Chill, but classy, 4.50 otr ales, but 10+ cocktails, which isn't any more than you would pay in any other city. 

 

If I recall correctly, call mixed drinks (Johhny Walker Red and soda, etc) were running around $7.50.

I do remember that the Remy Martin V.S.O.P. Cognac was $7.50.

 

It appeals to a little too old of a crowd, but I think it has legs

 

Hey!  That's me you're referring to!

 

:-P

You older people are the ones who can afford it lol. Im looking forward to the days when I can afford to drink somewhere downtown other than Madonna's (where basically everyone in the restaurant industry downtown goes after they get off work at 1am).

I don't think I have been to Newport on the Levee in a year.

 

Music to my ears.

I don't think I have been to Newport on the Levee in a year.

 

Music to my ears.

 

I think it's been a year for me and Mr. xumelanie as well.

I walk over for a movie or to get a Dewey's pizza. Otherwise, that's about it.

 

(I know. I know. Back on Topic!)

I thought Boss Cox was going to be on the south side of 4th, but its right next door to bang.

 

 

Does anyone know anything about Fox Alpha Films?

This appeared sometime over the last couple weeks.