By offering an affordable tapas menu and swankier decor, Mill Avenue's newest nightspot hopes to distinguish itself from nearby clubs and bars.

Tempe's Vintage Lounge opens Dec. 20, catering to Arizona State University students and area regulars. The second-story storefront at Fourth Street and Mill Avenue once housed the Coconut Club, which closed earlier this year due to liquor-licensing troubles.

Vintage Lounge owner Mark Brown is optimistic about the area's appetite for a more upscale club, one that's slightly less casual, less college-focused.

“What really sets us apart from some of the other clubs here on Mill is the quality of our presentation, both in the club itself and with our food,” said Brown, who is partners with Ryan Harris and Jay Johari. The trio also recently opened the rock-and-roll-themed Waters Edge bar in Chandler.

“We're doing something very different with our menu,” Brown said. “We have a five-star chef from Scottsdale …, and he's really been turning out some amazing things.”

The lounge serves dinner and will begin serving lunch in mid-January. Brown hopes to draw those looking for artfully presented food, served at student-friendly prices.

This club follows La Bocca Urban Pizzeria + Wine Bar and Whip Lounge as two more recent, upscale additions to a street that's been struggling to find a nightlife identity for years. And now that Tempe Marketplace has diverted so much shopping and nightlife traffic, business owners along Mill Avenue say the need for newer, more innovative concepts is greater than ever.

In that vein, the lounge's grand opening will feature a fashion show, something more commonly seen in Scottsdale nightclubs.

Outfitted with dark red paint, a black and copper bar, leather couches and ornate mirrors, Vintage Lounge looks the part of a cool, downtown bar. The slick new dance floor will bump with Top 40, hip-hop and R&B hits under flashing lights, while views of downtown Tempe fill the picture frame windows around the bar. There is also a full patio in the back, which will have its own DJ and dance floor.

Although he's trying to create a high-class environment, Brown says he wants people to feel comfortable, adding that guests can wear whatever they normally would for a night out on Mill Avenue.

“What I'm really after is to see people dancing, drinking and having a great time,” he said.

By Joe Golfen
azcentral.com
December 18, 2008