A handful of new, revamped or expanded clubs are joining the
nightlife scene in the Ottawa area
this fall.
While the
opening of Live Nation’s History venue
in the ByWard Market is still months away, other operators aren’t waiting for spring to launch new projects. From Wakefield to the west end, new establishments are taking root.
The list includes: the creation of Fono, an all-new space in a 100-year-old Centretown building; the upcoming launch of Robo Lounge at The Clemow rental tower; the reopening of Wakefield’s venerable Black Sheep Inn; a
new vision for Cafe Dekcuf
on Rideau Street; and a new chapter for a Baseline Road watering hole.
Let’s start with Fono, a hi-fi lounge to be nestled in a century-old brick building at the intersection of Bronson and Gladstone avenues. It’s a passion project kickstarted by Matías Muñoz, who founded the Ottawa Showbox blog and was part of the team that ran
Cinqhole, a DIY arts venue
in Hintonburg. It closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This time, Muñoz and his partners are transforming the former headstone-carving shop at 473 Bronson Ave. into a modern lounge with an emphasis on an audiophile-quality listening experience.
“The whole idea of this spot is that it is a hi-fi bar. It will have exceptional sound quality,” Muñoz said during a walk through the interior, which is divided into two rooms. The front room is the hi-fi lounge, with built-in state-of-the-art speakers to be installed, while the back room will host small-scale music and DJ events.
The building is completely accessible, with a bus stop at the front door and parking available on nearby streets.
Together, the capacity of the two rooms is only about 100 patrons, which is plenty big enough for the types of events Muñoz plans to present. He’s not trying to compete for clientele with spots like History Ottawa, the 2,000-capacity concert hall set to open next spring.
“We can do all kinds of events here, whether it’s a dance party, a jazz night or a chill after-dinner night,” Muñoz said. “It’s going to be a little different from the normal venue space model. We just want to get people in here doing interesting things, like a testing ground for all kinds of experimental ideas and types of music.”
As for the menu, Muñoz plans to offer local beer, natural wines and small-plate, savoury dishes inspired by tapas. The name Fono, Spanish slang for phone, is another nod to Muñoz’s Latin heritage.
A few blocks away, veteran impresario Scott May is preparing to welcome about 150 guests to his new establishment on the ground floor of The Clemow, a rental tower for adults aged 50 and up.
May ran the tiny, intimate
Bar Robo when it was on Somerset Street
and now houses it in the generous square footage of
Queen Street Fare
, where he serves coffee and books acts.
The concept for Robo Lounge will be similar, with coffee service in the morning and live music at night, but also with a robust menu of food and beverages and a grand piano on a dedicated stage. The overall vibe, May said, will be chill and relaxing, like an upscale piano bar.
“Part of the appeal for us is the demographic of the building,” said May, who is a resident of The Clemow. “They’re 50-plus. They love to drink and they won’t have to drive anywhere. It’s a pretty sweet spot, and there’s already a nice community that’s developed in the building.”
Of course, May points out, Robo Lounge will be open to all, not just residents of The Clemow.
Both May and Muñoz are aiming to open their respective doors by Dec. 1.
Meanwhile, the
Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield
has finally reopened under new management after months of renovations. For years a legendary live-music destination run by taste-making guru Paul Symes, it closed during the pandemic, creating a gap in the Outaouais that was filled by live-music offerings at Motel Chelsea and Kaffe 1870.
Now Wakefield restauranteur Christina Stobert has taken over the Sheep’s operations, and she has big plans to revive the village landmark, including development of an in-house restaurant, a back tavern and hostel rooms on the upper levels. Shows are being booked in the main room; details and tickets are available online at
blacksheepinn.ca
.
Back in the mid-westerly region of Ottawa, the former Neighbourhood Pub on Baseline Road closed at the end of summer, but the space was quickly revived by new owners, who dubbed it
Cassette 613
. The listening lounge and bar is a sister business to Baked Goods, the record shop in the same strip mall, and has access to the old-school Ottawa Pinball Arcade next door. Live music is also on the schedule.
Finally, the
City at Night family of downtown electronic-music venues
is expanding. Their third nightclub is coming to the old Cafe Dekcuf space above their flagship Gridwrks (formerly Mavericks) on Rideau Street. Renovations are underway to make City Annx a “low-lit, high-energy bar built for the underground,” according to promoter Farid Dagher. Watch for an opening party in late November.
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