It’s Saturday night. You’re not in college anymore, you don’t have to find a babysitter for the kids, and you’re not quite ready to put on your sweats and play Cribbage.
For the Lansingites who find themselves hot to trot with no watering holes on the radar, prepare to have your minds blown.
Lansing’s been inundated with fresh, innovative clubs and bars. Propped up by some of Downtown’s favorite flagships such as
Kelly’s and Brannigan Brothers, this trend shows no sign of slowing down.
The newly popular
Tavern on the Square, The Firm and
Troppo cater to the Washington Square professional crowd. Head 'round the corner onto Michigan Avenue and find yourself confronted with a whole new set of possibilities—from
The Exchange,
Rum Runners,
621,
The Nuthouse, Moriarty’s and Stober’s to the brand spanking-new
Harem nightclub, which has been drawing impressive weekend crowds.
“The economy is shifting from a blue collar economy that’s been here for so many years, and we’re seeing more private white-collar jobs emerge,” says Katharine Czarnecki, with the
Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. “Diversity—in terms of restaurant options—appeals to people with degrees and people who have a higher income bracket.”
The popping nightlife not only appeals to a younger consumer crowd, but also creates jobs for students and other young people in the area who may just be enticed to stay in the area after completing their studies.
“The revitalization of a true urban landscape is not only good for Lansing, but for the region,” says Czarnecki. “It’s also important in terms of the attraction and retention of the young professional to the Mid-Michigan region. If Lansing provides the amenities that a millennial is looking for, our workforce will only become stronger and will allow our companies to grow and expand here.”
With this bevy of options comes a whole new set of customers—the elusive and highly sought after young professional.
“When you get to be a certain age, it’s just not attractive to spend your weekend standing in a line and paying a cover for cheap beer that is probably going to end up spilled down the front of your shirt,” says nightlife enthusiast, Marcel Mayberry. "You want to spend your time and money somewhere a little bit more mature.”
Tavern TimeFor Lansing’s conspicuous consumer who likes to spend their free time roaming the downtown area, choices abound. One of the most popular and freshest locations on Washington Square is the well-received Tavern on the Square, which packs the crowds in with its contemporary and ever-changing lunch, dinner and tapas menus.
Tavern is one of downtown’s greatest locations to see and be “scene.” With a steady mix of state legislators, Capitol staffers,
Cooley law students and state employees, the eclectic crowd keeps the wait staff busy pouring drinks and mixing cocktails.
The mezzanine level offers an interesting way to keep a stealthy eye on who walks through the door and who hits the dance floor. Tavern has become a popular destination for everything from bachelorette parties to graduation celebrations to informal meetings.
“The Tavern’s popularity with young professionals isn’t surprising,” says Justin Markham, executive chef at Tavern on the Square. “We are bringing new thought to the Lansing food scene and it’s been extremely well received. The Lansing area’s young professional network has a high level of food awareness and they know they can find something original here. We love being a part of a new downtown scene.”
Since replacing a defunct downtown deli, Markham has been pleasantly surprised with the popularity of Tavern on the Square.
“The growth that we have seen has completely exceeded our expectations,” he says. “We have seen more new faces in the last few months than ever before.”
Nightclub CrowdsFor someone who is looking for an edgier place to spend their evening, a popular choice is
Spiral Video Dance Bar.
Located in
Old Town, Spiral has long been a destination for
MSU students as well as Lansing residents who want to see beautiful people enjoying each other. Commonly billed as a gay club, Spiral offers nightly events such as Thursday “College Night,” with drink specials and no covers, DJs spinning the latest dance music on Fridays and Saturdays, and a movie and a drag show on Sundays.
The atmosphere and audience in Spiral is not for the faint of heart. With people dressed to show off their finest attributes, things can get a little crazy and a lot heated as the night wears on.
“Spiral is one of the only clubs in Lansing that has the edginess, diversity, and class of a Chicago nightclub, yet the smaller-town friendliness and comfort of Lansing,” says patron and Grand Rapids resident Rion Hollenbeck. “It really is the best of both worlds, and it’s wonderful that Spiral is able to thrive in this city.”
Spiral has become one of Lansing’s most successful nightclubs and has sustained its growth and appeal on a limited Thursday-through-Sunday operating schedule.
This level of success set the stage for Harem, Lansing’s newest nightclub and first “urban lounge,” which entertains crowds on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights with special themes such as “Rise” Thursdays, “Bliss” Fridays and “Seduction” Saturdays.
Located just a few doors from The Exchange and The Nuthouse, Harem has been able to draw interested clientele from both locations. The dance floor is dimly lit, the crowds are dressed to impress, and it’s easy to imagine that you have been transplanted to Las Vegas, if only for the night.
Downtown DelightsNew venues continue to come online, and word has it that even more restaurants will be popping up in the
Stadium District and the riverfront.
But places like the Nuthouse, The Exchange and Kelly’s were the first to hedge their bets that Downtown Lansing would, in fact, fit into a successful business plan. And as summer heats up and patios become more crowded, rest assured these Downtown hot spots will continue to see new faces and steady growth.
Gabrielle Johnson works for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and has been known to enjoy Lansing nightlife.
Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of Trumpie Photography.
Photos:
Harem
Nichole McCarthy & Pia Valentine at Brannigan Brothers
Tavern on the Square
The Exchange
Harem
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie