After being laid off from his job at a Fort Lauderdale nutritional supplement company, Doug Lemmone sought to pursue his dream and open a bar or lounge in Florida.
But the right location was elusive, and Lemmone moved back to Charlotte to care for his ailing mother. And he found what he thinks is the perfect spot for his bar in Charlotte, not Fort Lauderdale or South Beach. Cathode Azure,a 4,000-square-foot bar and lounge targeting gay and gay-friendly clientele, opened Friday in South End.
"I think it's going to establish South End as the 'gayborhood'," said Lemmone, a New York native. The area is up-and-coming, he said, with easy light rail access, plenty of parking, and a growing population living in the new apartment buildings nearby.
Featuring over-sized leather chairs, French doors leading to patio seating, blue LED lights and hanging lamps that give off a blue glow, Lemmone said he's going for an upscale, grown-up vibes. Although the bar features a dance floor, dancing isn't the focus, and Lemmone said the music selection is less dance and techno, more Top 100 hits.
The bar charges a $6 cover on busier nights, but also offers specials such as $2 well drinks on Wednesday nights to lure customers. And though Lemmone said he hopes to be the best gay bar in Charlotte, he also wants to attract a diverse clientele.
"We don't care who you are or what you're about," he said. "We welcome everybody."
View Larger Map