Ivanhoe owner unveils plans for 'ultra lounge' on Main Street

An "ultra lounge," like this one in Birmingham, Mich., is coming to Downtown Racine

Doug Nicholson, owner of the Ivanhoe Pub and Grille, revealed plans for his new club, Envi, on Monday night while trying to secure a liquor license from the city's Public Safety and Licensing Committee.

The club is actually an "ultra lounge" planned for 316 Main St., the former home to Downtown's porn shop, Racine News. Nicholson is gutting the four-story building with plans of turning it into an upscale bar with a dance floor he hopes to open later this year. He's targeting Envi at an older crowd with a combination of pricier drinks, a more mature music selection and no smoking.

For fans of the Ivanhoe, the smoking ban may come as a surprise. But Nicholson said the first thing focus groups asked for was a smoke-free lounge. He added a smoking ban would differentiate Envi from Ivanhoe. If you want to dance, go to Envi. If you want to smoke, go to Ivanhoe, which is a block away. Nicholson is also building an outside deck on the back of Envi that will accommodate smokers.

The idea for Envi is based on ultra lounges that are popular in Las Vegas and other big cities. The model is spreading to smaller cities as an alternative to traditional bars, and is particularly attractive to women. Nicholson said he would target Envi toward women ages 30 to 55, with the belief that if they come, everyone else will follow.

The name Envi comes with an environmental twist Nicholson is putting on the concept. He's working to make the club "green," starting with the renovations. He's reusing most of the old flooring in the building, and recycling or reusing many of the interior fixtures. When finished, Nicholson plans on obtaining the "Travel Green" designation from the state of Wisconsin. He's hoping the combination of a sensual and environmentally conscious design will draw in a crowd willing to spend some money on a night out.

The proposal breezed through the city committee on a unanimous vote. Committee members raised questions about security and the general model, but seemed satisfied Nicholson knew what he was doing. And why not? He's running one of the most successful bars in the city (Ivanhoe) and holds a second liquor license for the Masonic Center.

Envi would employ about 10 people to start and would run 5:30 p.m. to close, Wednesday through Saturday. High-end appetizers would be served, but there wouldn't be a grill to support a full menu. Nicholson will still need a restaurant license to open the club, which may also include theme nights.

Nicholson said he's thinking about bringing Country-Western dance nights to Envi on Wednesdays, followed by an '80s night on Thursdays and a live DJ playing house/dance music on Fridays.

He addressed concerns about safety with plans for video cameras and an attempt to attract an upscale adult crowd that typically doesn't run into many problems. With Nicholson acknowledging Envi would be "risque" in nature, Alderman Jim Kaplan asked if he planned on bringing strippers back to Main Street. Nicholson said no, but didn't shy away from describing Envi as a place for adults.

"Sin city is what's working now," Nicholson said. "Who's kidding who? Sin and a provocative nature will occur."