Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 31

TXT T-T1 1 T1 IMMiilllllllMi iimiium.ViliinliniMllllllluiin,,, EDMONTON JOURNAL edmontonjournal.com C7 1 1 III II Ml II 1 1 HI II Hill I Mill Illinium in 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I I i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -J I think there will be a rebirth of the big nightclub, and certainly if I was 25 years old and vvauicu lu uci into mis lnuusirv. mere couiu De an mea ro onen un a nii? new fl --uax. ujuu gji unv uj li mi uujncr snip vu uiunvn nuudund lup numcS AT AVENUE BARS ALONG WHYTE AVENUE 97St. 98 St. 99 St.

co oo 100 St. 20 21 7 65 84 10 912 1113 19 ic 14 1 Jesse James Kupina, left, and Anthony James Greening are owners of 104 St. 23 105 St. 106 St. 271 107 St.

oo IT) oo 108 St. 109 St. co HOSt. Ill St. WHOOPIN' IT UP 1 iiiimiiiininiiii nip-hrr nh SHAUGHN BUTTS, EDMONTON JOURNAL walked into Empire, you felt like you were in this different place.

You could escape your worries and just have fun. The entertainment was there to blow your mind I did different themed parties, like the Seven Deadly Sins, where each part of the bar had the staff dressed differently. I had people doing silk shows from the roof. In hindsight, by making it so VIP, people felt it was too exclusive." Numbers dropped after a few months, so Barr turned to working with independent promoters to set up DJ nights, theme parties, and bring in artists such as Ice Cube and Lady Gaga. These events filled the room with a younger clientele but didn't necessarily solve Empire's problems.

On average, Barr says 18-to 21-year-olds spend about $25 per person half of what older demographics spend. "By changing the demographic and making more people feel comfortable to stay busy, you're also cutting your sales, too," she says. "So we kind of balanced out by doing more events, spending less on print advertisements, and utilizing social media to affect our profitability." Empire's owners Dan Sved-berg and Sergio Maione recently sold the club to get into you guessed it the pub business. The pair bought The Black Sheep Pub on Jasper Avenue from Skysthelimit, a company that owns Squires, The Billiard Club and North Shore Club in Old Strathcona -while Barr now works as general manager of another downtown hot spot, The Treasury Vodka Bar Eatery. Capacity: 350 people.

She's tweaking their bottle service and adding some new weekly events Connected Entertainment's stable of DJs, including DJ Tyco, now play Friday nights. As more entrepreneurs choose pubs over clubs, Mike Yasin-ski of Hudsons Canadian Tap House says the opportunity is ripe for some young new upstart to open a new nightclub in Edmonton. What with the mainstream popularity of dance music, he thinks the landscape of Edmonton's nightlife is in for another shakeup. "I look at the crystal ball and I think the pub concept is here to stay," Yasinski says. "I think there will be a rebirth of the big nightclub, and certainly if I was 25 years old and wanted to get into this industry, there could be an idea to open up a big new nightclub.

I do think it's going to go back in that general direction in the five- to 10-year range. "There are a few people who are doing well and competition is going to recognize that and migrate in that chrection. That landscape is not as crowded right now. If someone was to open a brand new, shiny, safe Top 40 nightclub that fits 500 people, you'd be tremendously successful. "As an entrepreneur, I sort of think about it.

but our whole thing is Hudsons. That's it. -frru men 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 The Ranch. Kupina and his partners sold the land and building to a Red Deer family, who rebranded the club as Billy Bob's. The venture never took off, and last fall, Kupina, Anthony James Greening and Jerry Rota reowpened The Ranch in the same spot, with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of renovations and gadgets including a bucking bronco and a giant hanging armadillo, decorated with 30,000 disco mirrors.

"Billy Bob's opened, closed, renovated and closed again," says Kupina. "It's a bit baffling, but there's no silver-bullet secret. I'm not going to take credit for The Ranch; I think it's the combination of the people. We all play an integral role and we all work very, very hard and we pay attention to things that other companies don't do." Kupina, who also owns a pub-crawl company and Union Hall, a club with a rock-chic theme, says safety and legitimacy are integral to his operations, which make more than $10 million in annual revenues. "Check your coat, ego and attitude at the door because'aggression will not be tolerated," reads a message on The Ranch's website, and last year Union Hall won a Best Bar None Award, which recognizes venues for their excellence in patron safety and service.

"I'm on Alberta's Safer Bars Council, I work with Edmonton's Public Safety Compliance Team on a regular basis," says Kupina, 36. "We have training manuals, we have employee-of-the-month programs, we have staff incentives, we're a legitimate business. Where in the past nightclubs were just some guys with money, and girls with the biggest boobs got the front beer tub. I flunk we've really tried to legitimize it not that other companies weren't doing that, but I'm proud that we are." He's also proud of The Ranch's fundraising efforts for the MS Society of Alberta and the Cerebral Palsy Association of Alberta and the club's overall come-as-you-are attitude. "I was never the cool kid," says Kupina, clad in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, revealing the black polish on his toenails.

"I didn't know the bouncer, I waited in line. I was the nameless, faceless kid in a nightclub, so we never try to get above ourselves. We tried to build a chib for those people -the nameless, faceless kids who were never the most popular." Empire Ballroom, on the other hand, tried a more exclusive approach when it opened in 2007. The West Edmonton Mall club, with a capacity of 1,300 people, was designed as a lavish. Las Vegas-style nightspot, complete with six bars, four levels, Egyptian-themed artifacts and bottle service.

The previous tenant, Rum Jungle, "had a tough clientele, so it was a bit of challenge turning ft in such a short time," says Lauren Barr. who was Empire's marketing manager until the end of AprJ. was gangsterish-y. so what I wanted to do was create an ale feeL I came up with slogans Lke 'Get a jy. no pass-pert required" and when yea Si 1 SHAUGHN BUTTS, EDMONTON JOURNAL Al Gothjelpsen of Oil City Hospitality Group is director of operations for The Pint, The Public House and The Rack.

97St. 98 St. 99 St. 28 100 St. 2 3 103 St.

104 St. 15 1820 21 22 2425 26 29 105 St. 106 St. 03 00 I 108 St. 109 St.

110 St. ON WHYTE enough downtown, so I think there could be more of us and we'd all do fine." What makes it different from pubs such as The Pint or Hud-sons? The Common, with a capacity of 150 people, caters to much more of a niche market from its lunch and dinner menus (veal cheeks, fkxirless desserts, herb-infused cocktails) to its music (electronic, indie-rock, no Top 40) to its events (fashion shows, CD releases). Clarke, 37, and his business partners Stacey Boruk. Justin DeT and Kyla Kazeil like to think of their new room as an extension of their own Kves and interests. Clarke and fustin Der are both Vl and own Foosh, a Whyte Avenue lifestyle store that sells clothes, shoes, toys and musk.

Boruk and Kasiel own a ck ihirg store. The Bamboo RiHrown. four thrive on new experiences and sharing them with CD CD 114 St. pwn Edmonton's hottest "6 Jasper Ave. rAve.

fve. Ave. er Ave. er Ave. 50 106th St.

-th St. Nnge. 10220 103rd St. it Ave. 10030 102nd St.

155 102nd St. 3235 101st St. 1A Ave. 3154 100th St lOlAAve. i-y.

10004 Jasper Ave. century, echoes those ents. He owned several 2M Malibu, Cowboys, "ink), then opened two Irish Pubs before pull-stakes. He now lives in ry, where he runs sever- Mrants and clubs. (He's 3 open an entertainment x.

Cowboys Casino, near I idledome.) Vkkers says properties are much rentable than his furrier ra holdings ever were. wn's looser wallets are I 'he reasons, but he says erience in Edmonton -ptd hone his business t. J.or.ton. you have to he s.r,s. -Ti want to book a at a venue in Edmonton 1 i-k, 'I rr-irrv free fclMrwhVhedeAi? a In Cakary.

Can you get me in? war any discounts. Some of Old Strathcona's hottest nightspots include: 1. The Empress Ale House, 9912 Whyte Ave. 2. Wunderbar Hofbrauhaus.

8120 101st St. 3. Cook County Saloon, 8010 Gateway Blvd. 4. New City Legion, 8130 Gateway Blvd.

5. Rumors Ultra Lounge, 8230 Gateway Blvd. 6. Suite 69, 8232 Gateway Blvd. 7.

MKT, 8101 Gateway Blvd. 8. Hudson's On Whyte, 10307 Whyte Ave. 9. Blues on Whyte, 10329 Whyte Ave.

10. The Bephant Castle Pub Restaurant, 10314 82nd Ave U. Twist Ultra Lounge, 201 10324 Whyte Ave. 12. Funkj Buddha, 10341 Whyte Ave.

13. Red Square Vodka House, 10351 Whyte Ave. 14. The Next Act Pub, 8224 104th St. 15.

The Rnt, 8032 104th St. 16. Tilted Kilt Pub and Eatery, 10401 Whyte Ave. 17. The ack Dog Freehouse, 10425 Whyte Ave.

18. The Walkabout Pub. 10439 Whyte Avenue 19. 02's Tap House Grill, 8217 104th St. 20.

North Shore Club, 8111 105th St. 2L The Billiard Club. 200 10505 Whyte Ave. 22. Squre's Pub.

10505 Whyte Ave. 23. The Old Strathcona Rack, 10544 Whyte Ave. 24. ThePawn Shop, 10551 Whyte Ave.

25. Lucky 13. 10551 Whyte Ave. 2a Fathy McNasty's. 1C511A Whyte Ave.

27. 0 Byrne's Irish Pub, 10616 Whyte Ave. 28. Union Hall. 6240 99th St.

2a The Ranch Roadhouse, 6107 104th St. won't survive. We're constantly updating, trying to stay fresh," says Der, no relation to The Common's Justin Der. "You really have to do all you can do to give people value and the feeling they're in a safe environment. It's not seedy, so you won't get that clientele.

Dirtbags feel a little more comfortable if it's a rundown place, not a nice place." IN (AND CLUB OUT OF) DA And what of the lonely, lowly nightclub? It's far from extinct, but it's not exactly top dog like the '90s, when mega rooms such as Barry T's, Denny Andrews, Goose Loonies, Club Malibu and KAOS ruled Edmonton's nightlife. While several smaller dance clubs are sprinkled throughout Old Strathcona and downtown such as The Warehouse, Level 2, Halo, Afterhours, Lucky 13, and Suite 69 fewer bigger rooms are booming each weekend. No official figures are available, but at least 10 were open in 2006. Nowadays, there's Union Hall off Argyll Road, Empire Ballroom in West Edmonton MaH, and four clubs catering to country music fans Oil City Roadhouse, Cook County Saloon off Whyte Avenue, Whiskey Jack's in WEM, and The Ranch Roadhouse on the south side. (Diesel Ultra Lounge recently closed its doors after a man was she and killed outside the north-side venue, says Sgt.

Nicole Chapdelaine, who monitors the safety of Edmonton's nightlife.) "You try to find yourself a formula and go for it," says Jesse James Kupina, one of the owners of The Ranch, a 900-person capacity chsb. "People in Edmonton cant be fooled. You can lie to them or fake them out or roll paint over some wood then call yourself a new name. We have a discerning customer in the city that keeps tju honest The first incarnation of The Ranch, in the old Standard Baity Ts building on 61 st Avenue, opened in After three successful years he made back his initial five-figure invest me ri in sit months kindred spirits adventurous multi-taskers in their late 20s and older. Instead of hosting the same DJ nights week in and out, The Common schedules different spinners, culinary events, artfashion shows, and networking nights for local groups.

"We could never franchise The Common," says Clarke. "Somebody would look at our business plan and say, 'Yeah, right? Do 47 things? Why don't I just do "We're not just trying to make the most amount of money possible. We want to enjoy this place, too. How would we want to be treated ourselves? I like good food, I like locally sourced food. I like beer and wine.

I like music that isn't just like what I heard on the radio. We don't want it to get stale, we all have such diverse backgrounds." Stale is a dirty word in the nightlife industry, particularly for established, popular spots such as On The Rocks, which opened in 2006. Night manager James Der says business was slow for the first 18 months "We had no marketing budget, it was built on word of mouth, we chatted up customers until we were blue in the face" but the Jasper Avenue pub is now hopping six nights a week. Fridays and Saturdays, which feature Top 40 DJs and cover bands to appeal to both young and old customers, are OTR's best nights, followed by Thursday's salsa lessons. Yet the pub's staff cant rest on their laurels.

Regular customers can get bored and Der says lunch, happy hours and Sunday nights could be busier so OTR is regularly changing the menu, adding new craft beer selections, booking new bands, hosting fundraisers, and handing out coveted VIP cards to customers. Renovations are also a must, to show respect for regular patrons and keep unwanted elements from infiltrating the venue, whkh is owned by David of Edrranton I Creep fe also owns another pub. The Druid, on I Street and Jasper Avenue OTR recent upgrade! i kitchen and ahrootns. The front of "he roots is next. "If you're adaptable, you we just wint to get NICHE ASD FRESH Over at The Common located in th? old Martini's Bar Griii on 109th Street, near the legisldtxire hip, young professionals line up to get into the hot new eateryclub on Friday and Saturday lights.

spot, which relocated fern 124th Street in March, represents another step in the evoiit ion of Edmonton's nightlife, the Common is three venues in one a pub at the north end a rest jurant in the middle, and, behind a sliding door, a d-txe Fsoor at the south end. "Fdrnorfon is a good place to dobusEiEis nght now, especially downtown. says Rob Clarke, cne tr -enue's owners. T.Ve aa wsnt wel a3 pay fee 2 and wsH all tj.2 in fear it. if it's i.

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