Steve and Thanos Lemonidis were hesitant to take over Teddy T's, a joint that had stood at 6635 East Evans Avenue for the past three decades, just because of the work it needed. But the space had a special place in their dad's heart, since he'd leased out the kitchen for a number of years, and their family had also run the nearby Thia's Cafe before it became Milo's Sports Tavern, so they were familiar with the area. And clubs are definitely in their blood: The two brothers are also nephews of club king Regas Christou. So last November, they assumed control of Teddy T's.
Now they've changed the name to the Continental Room & Lounge.
"A lot of people over the years probably never thought about going in there because of what their perception was of the place," Steve Lemonidis says. "With the name change, it gives someone a reason to look at it twice and go, 'Maybe it's under new ownership and maybe there's something different in there.'"
While Steve says the Continental is still a bit of a fern bar, that's intentional; meanwhile, they've completely remodeled the inside by redoing the bathrooms, installing new carpet, rebuilding the bar and making a lounge out of the room where the pool tables used to be. They also have plans to put a 400-square-foot patio in front, as well as install an eight-foot garage door, which will let in much-needed sunlight and air. Right now, they're bringing in live bands like the Delta Sonics, Hazel Miller and Brethren Fast on Fridays and Saturdays and holding blues jams on Thursdays.
"It's cleaned up," Steve says. "It doesn't feel as dingy as it used to. It's got an energy back to it again that it didn't have for the longest time."
Club scout: While the Grizzly Rose has been bringing in country acts since 1989, lately the venue has had a lot of success with '80s-centric rock acts such as Dokken and Bret Michaels. And next month the owners of the Grizzly Rose will open their own rock club, Grizzly Rock, in the former Club Arriba location (which was Hollywood Legends and After the Gold Rush before that) at 5255 West Sixth Avenue Frontage Road in Lakewood. Lindy Hulseberg, Grizzly Rose's marketing manager and events coordinator, says that Grizzly Rock will take the same approach to rock and roll that the Grizzly Rose has to country. The club will book local rock acts Wednesdays through Saturdays and national acts two or three times a month. The idea, she adds, is to keep the music lighthearted and fun and to appeal to thirty-, forty- and fifty-somethings.
That's the same age group that Michael Olsen is going for at Cherry, the nightclub he wants to put into the space at 231 Milwaukee Street, in the former home of Club Luxe. Earlier this year, he'd tried to open another version of Hush, the nightclub he used to have in the Larimer Square spot now occupied by Wicked Garden, but Cherry Creek residents lined up in opposition to his plan to put a club in the basement of 250 Steele Street. Olsen had much better luck at his liquor-license hearing on Monday, though; this time, no opponents showed up to speak against the plan.
Before those new clubs open, there's another chance to party on Friday, October 14, when the Museum of Contemporary Art will host its very own House Show from 8 to 11 p.m. featuring Joshua Novak, Ending People and Hearts in Space; food trucks will be on hand to provide sustenance.
