Three artists walk into a bar. Art happens: Hot colors cover walls, floors with a pattern are installed, and paintings go up. The bar seems to tell the owner-artists what it wants to be. At least, that’s how the husband-and-wife team of Pat and Carol Schuchard and Pat’s daughter, Anne, have approached their ventures, including the newest: Boombox Lounge (7150 Manchester), the new 85-seat lounge situated downstairs at Majorette event space in Maplewood.
“Most restaurants start with a food concept,” says Pat Schuchard. “We always start with the space and the art and what it feels like to be in a place. It’s the opposite of the way things get put together in the industry. Food and drink usually come first, but we put together these curated well-designed spaces, and then fill in events that work with the space. We did that at Tim’s Chrome Bar, and it proved to be a good thing.”
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The 85-seat lounge opens to the public today at 5 p.m., with a DJ spinning at 8 p.m. Regular hours are from 5 p.m.–1 a.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Here’s what to know before you go.
The Atmosphere
Like its namesake, Boombox conveys a brash, bold vibe, with an emphasis on music and energetic colors. At the same time, there are intimate spaces for conversation, each with its own vignette, including cushy chairs, retro sofas, and tables. Games abound, including two pool tables, a sleek shuffleboard, foosball, and darts. There’s even a permanent Twister game painted on the floor. Table games include Jenga, checkers, and more.
Music is a given, of course, and dancing will probably break out on the floor, which is painted with what Pat Schuchard calls ‘crop circles. The DJ booth is adorned with hot-pink circle cutouts floating on an arctic blue wall. Bar manager Chelsea Pfister says the music will range from lounge stylings to 1980s pop and soul, depending on what the crowd dictates, with live music on occasion.
Boombox will host special events, such as Taylor Swift karaoke nights and Sunday bingo. Pfister also plans to bring Skate Culture to Boombox for pop-up roller skating this fall. (Look for event announcements on Boombox’s Facebook page.)
The lounge will also complement events at Majorette and in the parking lot. On October 12 from noon–4 p.m., for instance, fans of vehicles with air-cooled engines will gather on the 1-acre parking lot for Volkstoberfest, hosted by Air-Cooled Antiques; Boombox will be open that day, and there will be a vendor’s fair upstairs at Majorette. Special events director Amy Lewis is also booking holiday parties in the space and sees Boombox as a perfect spot for small dinners and rehearsal dinners.
While the food menu is still being developed, Boombox will initially offer snacks, likely similar to those served at Tim’s Chrome Bar, with food trucks on occasion as well. “We’ll add food gradually, when we see what people want,” says Pat Schuchard.
The drink menu features well-balanced cocktails made with local spirits, as well as beers, champagne, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. Many of the cocktails will be as brightly colored as the space. Among the offerings: Jump Around (a gin collins), Bee My Lover (a gin drink with honey syrup), Too Sexy For my Rum (a “pina cola-ish drink,” as Pfister puts it), and a negroni (“because that’s manager Jay Thompson’s favorite cocktail,” says Pfister).
As Pat Schuchard says, “We put so much effort into putting in a good design environment,” and the environment will inspire the menu, the music, and more at Boombox.
