AUBURN — Dane Morgan is calling it “affordable upscale.”
Valet parking. Concierge service. No hats, no hoodies, no T-shirts. And a VIP section where a $110 alcohol minimum will secure a table for three.
On Saturday, the Brooklyn native is opening what he hopes has the air of an exclusive nightclub, Dreamz Ultra Lounge, inside Naral’s restaurant at 34 Court St. in Auburn. From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the tables will be pushed aside, a light show turned on and a dance floor opened up.
“We’re here to create an experience from the time you hit the crosswalk till the time you leave,” said Morgan, 22, the club’s CEO.
Morgan, who lives in Auburn, got to know the area when he was stationed at the Brunswick Naval Air Station and frequented the Twin Cities for two now-closed hip hop clubs. He said he has a background in party promotion and events, operating SWAG Music Entertainment.
Morgan wants a more professional crowd. He’s trying to emphasize a safe environment with four security guards, two doormen and the dress code.
“We want you to come comfortable but we want you to have spent some time figuring out what you’re going to wear,” he said. Morgan’s theory: The more you think about your outfit, the fewer issues you have when you go out.
“You look well, you act well — everything comes from that self-esteem,” he said.
He has a team of 11, with bartenders, VIP hosts and “shot girls” wandering the floor with trays of signature drinks in tubes.
“Everybody we’ve hired lives within about 15 minutes of right here,” Morgan said. That was on purpose, for a sense of ownership. “If I bring somebody else in, it’s ‘They did it’ versus ‘We did it.'”
Friday night is 18 and older, Saturday is ladies’ night. The club will offer a pared-down, late night Naral’s menu with falafel, kebab and chicken bites.
A VIP area with tables and booths requires reservations and starts with a minimum of one bottle for a table of three or two bottles for a table of four. Bottles, from Absolut to Courvoisier XO, range from $110 to $300. Tables come with a plate of garnishes such as chocolate, strawberries or cheesecake, Morgan said.
Drink prices are $4 to $10, cover charge from $5 to $10.
DJ’s in a second-floor balcony overlooking the crowd will play hip-hop, R&B, Top 40 and the occasional country song.
Starting Aug. 4, Morgan also plans “Rock the Mic” nights on Saturday: Patrons hop up on stage and join the house band, bringing their own music if they want.
“It’s not karaoke,” he said. “This is where talent comes in.”
Morgan’s other plans include expanding the club to the space beside Naral’s, at the corner of Main and Court streets, bringing in musical acts and hiring campus ambassadors at local college campuses.
Rapper Loc D.A.B. will be on hand opening night.
“Our mission is to change the community and bring new life and new perceptions,” said Chasity Coy, a Lewiston native and the club’s chief operating officer.
Dreamz Ultra Lounge
FMI: 319-2307 or 418-1477
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