Star Bar's Little Vinyl Lounge gets a makeover
Little Vinyl Lounge adds a touch of class to the L5P bar scene with much-needed renovations and seasonally-inspired cocktails.
Star Bar reopened the Little Vinyl Lounge (LVL) last Wednesday, June 18, as a refurbished cocktail lounge. Co-owners, Kahle Davis and Susan Pavlin, transformed the downstairs bar into an utterly unrecognizable space from what used to be a retro hotspot for DJs since the early '90s. "This LVL is where I'd end up after work to unwind," Davis says. "One night, my friend was down here with me, and he said how it'd be cool to turn this into a speakeasy-type place separate from the upstairs."
With a few coats of paint, '50s-style diner tables, and heavy Hitchcockian and Lynchian vibes, the once claustrophobic, gloomy space, with the about-to-crash-down-and-kill-me ceiling is now a distant memory. That sexy, padded, red vinyl bar was replaced with a contemporary butcher's block, but Davis and Pavlin plan to pay homage to the past by hosting DJs in the intimate setting.
"Bands wont be playing anymore, but we're hoping to get some local DJs on some nights, since that's what was done originally when this place opened in 1992," Pavlin says.
LVL's cocktail menu will be in seasonal rotation along with craft beer selections, and a late-night munchies menu that's still in the works. The general manager for LVL is a trained herbalist, who uses seasonal ingredients for the cocktail list in addition to some traditional classics.
Before you get your panties in a wad, the bar will still serve $2 tallboys and offer a $6 Industry Old Fashioned from 3 p.m. till 3 a.m., every Wed. and Thurs., and will have a back-only entry.
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"We wanted to create a place that didn't exist for the Little Five Points neighborhood," Pavlin says, "The change will hopefully attract new customers, and also keep afternoon regulars from leaving once shows start upstairs that they, occasionally, don't want to pay for."
The patio also got some much-needed TLC. The tagged benches were rebuilt and bamboo is feathered throughout a previously, prison-like barrier. Also, customers will finally be able to take advantage of that walk-up window if they wish to order a drink outside.
Although the bones are complete, Davis and Pavlin are seeking input and recommendations from customers as they conceptualize the decorative details. Pavlin is looking for feedback on the sassy monkey display that greets you upon entry. Should he stay or should he go?
And don't worry, they're keeping that Love Test machine just in case you want to have your day ruined. I got 'clammy' for the third time.