Chemistry: Coffee, Internet, and Dancing in Warehouse District

Downtown Raleigh’s West side will get a new tenant late this year or early 2010. Chemistry will be a Cafe and Lounge by day and a dance club by night. The cafe will be called The Lab and looks to be open at 6am and open late, serving coffee, internet and martinis. Chemistry will be the late night portion of the venue opening at 10pm and claiming the “largest dance floor in the Triangle” and lowest mixed drink prices in town.

The Warehouse District is destined to become the hub for downtown expansion with all the empty warehouses. Hopefully CAM will usher in more cultural venues (and retail), but until then we are stuck with more bars and restaurants. Is Davie Street the new Glenwood South? With Fubar, White Collar Crime, Mosquito, and Ess Lounge all lined up on the street, another dance club would signal so.

The best part about Chemistry is that The Lab will be open during the day. This area needs much more daytime traffic (other than the hundreds of out-of-towners who go to The Pit daily). Maybe The Lab will add a bit more of this. And Chemistry is LGBT friendly, which is an odd thing to actually have to point out. Aren’t all places in downtown Raleigh LGBT friendly or is Raleigh not the progressive place that others think it is?

Chemistry will be located in the old sign building, which is the same building that Humble Pie is in, next to The Pit at the corner of Harrington and Davie. Go check out their flashy-disco-Simon-Says website (with killer font) or their myspace page (where only friends can see photos of the space) for more information (and lots of spelling errors…queue the comments on my spelling and grammar).

A chill, fun, enjoyable place where great people of all sorts mix, dance and have fun without the drama, shade and typical ‘bar trying to be a club’ atmosphere. Well trained staff, bathroom attendants, cocktail servers, uniformed bar staff, Guest services staff always on the floor, VIP area and lounge. Multiple DJs every night. The bar has moved its opening date from Spring, to late 2009 and now possibly January 2010.

hackles1011/12 11:03 AM

Glad to have another coffee shop within walking distance of my place. The warehouse district has so much potential, and it seems like it will have to spread from the depot district towards boylan bridge. Not sure I will be on “Raleigh’s Largest Dancefloor” too much, but this seems like a welcome addition!

Chris Marlow11/12 11:26 AM

Just moved from Austin, I love Raleigh, but the cafe culture is thin. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come!

arthurb311/12 11:43 AM

No, Raleigh is not LGBT friendly even if we are the main support for the small resturants and cafes. http://www.raleigh.com/nightlife/gay.html

jandrews11/12 11:55 AM

DANCE CLUB = Another “CHEESY” place where the dudes have more hair gel than the women

Michael11/12 12:40 PM

Nice font, cHemiscry.

Lisa Jeffries11/12 12:47 PM

“even if we are the main support for the small resturants and cafes.”

Now where did those statistics come from, arthurb3?

TheWaveLife11/12 01:09 PM

Dramma… curtious… cigarrette…

It hurts my eyes.

futuresquid11/12 01:14 PM

good call michael

bill11/12 06:27 PM

Arthur, your link to the admittedly short list of Raleigh gay bars and clubs seems to be missing some businesses. Flex? The Bourough could probably be on that list as well, no? Raleigh used to have more gay clubs, as did Durham, when the rest of the clubs were not as friendly. But that’s speculation - I’m totally not gay. I hang out at Lucky B’s in a tight shiny shirt.

John11/13 01:43 AM

I had heard that this was supposed to be a gay club. I guess that they are actually trying to expand their target audience by really being “straight” friendly. If I owned the business, I guess I wouldn’t think that there would be enough local gay coffee drinkers in the area to make it work throughout. Then, I’d wonder what would be the best strategy to get the most business. And, then, I’d figure that being LGBT friendly would be better than saying they they were a gay establishment that welcomes straight business.
But, then again, this is all assumption on my part.

JRD11/13 05:57 AM

I dont understand why any place has to even say they are LGBT friendly. Is anyone even really mean to the LBGTs? Honestly. We’re all civilized people here, we dont have to call those kinds of things out. If LGBTs wanna go anywhere, they can go, as can straight people. I dont understand all the categorizations…...we’re all people.

John11/13 10:12 AM

JRD, You are correct for the most part. However, most LGBT people will measure the
“temperature” of a place before they even hold hands. This is something that straight people take for granted. Straight couples hold hands, hug & kiss in public, snuggle in restaurant booths, grind on dance floors, etc. anywhere they want without giving it a second thought. Well, LGBT DO give it a second thought. Even in the most LGBT friendly places in the country, there will always be someone who will snicker, disapprove, stare, point, laugh, start a fight, etc. when LGBT people behave likewise.
LGB(minus the T)are probably very welcome anywhere as long as they “behave” themselves. Transgender people have a much harder road in life.
Now, all of this is slowly changing as younger generations are more and more open and accepting of diversity of all kinds. But, the fact remains that there are still many people out there that aren’t. So, until full acceptance becomes the “norm”, having a safe space for LGBT people will continue to be necessary.
Next time you are out, pay attention to how straight people behave in public. Then, imagine those scenarios with gay couples instead. I think it will become evident why some establishments will still call themselves LGBT friendly.

Jess11/13 11:20 AM

can’t we all just get along….dance a little…sing a song?????? :o)

Michael11/13 04:24 PM

NO ONE should “hold hands, hug & kiss in public, snuggle in restaurant booths, grind on dance floors, etc.” You demonstrate your love for someone by supporting them in public, not by cheap, physical theatrics.

David11/13 05:23 PM

Michael, tell them how to love. That will show ‘em.

Ashe11/13 07:23 PM

I’m straight but I still love to hold hands, hug, kiss, and snuggle my girlfriends when I’m dating someone. We need to have more people (gay or straight) being affectionate in public. It would be nice for our society to become more accepting of expressions of affection and less accepting of expressions of violence.

John11/13 08:18 PM

Regardless of what some people think other people should or should not do in public, there are tons of small expressions of affection that happen everywhere in public. Most are not lewd or inappropriate if you ask me. And, for the most part, they are expressed by straight people. They are so taken for granted and largely ignored by most that one really has to pay attention to actually notice them. But, the same cannot be said for gay couples. If they do the same things, people notice. Seriously, do a little experiment and really pay attention and note all the little things that straight people do in public and imagine if gay couples were doing the same in the same quantities. When you imagine how some people will react, it will become clear to you why noted LGBT friendly establishments are necessary. It tells gay people that they’ll be safe and it tells straight people to expect to see gay couples do what others take for granted. It also passively tells those who would disparage gay people to stay away.

Smile when you see people who kiss in their cars at red lights. Be happy when you see couples holding hands & walking down the sidewalk. Imagine “new love” when you see coupls sit on the same side of a restaurant booth when they are not joined by anyone else. I don’t have problems with any of these things. Like Ashe says, we need more affection in our world.

Traveller11/13 11:34 PM

A cultural venue can succeed in one of two ways: either by accommodating an existing cultural niche appropriately, or by sparking a cultural revolution. In the former case, it’s important to know your audience and focus on their needs. In the latter case, it’s important to have a strong understanding of an underlying cultural need, and satisfy that need by showing people something they have never seen before (yet something that feels comfortable and familiar). In Raleigh, a place like The Jackpot succeeds by accommodating an existing niche well (albeit perhaps by co-evolution). Raleigh Times is the best example of a more revolutionary approach (although the conditions aren’t quite there to make it really pop, it did the absolute best it could, and is an indicator that we’re almost there). My impression is that Chemistry will do neither, instead implanting an existing concept (a generic, Hollywood-inspired metropolitan dance club with techno, E, and hip shaking ‘LGBT’s wall-to-wall) in to an up-and-coming progressive southern city that needs and wants a revolutionary approach. I hope the purveyors of Chemistry take in to consideration that Raleigh is on the verge of having their own unique zeitgeist, and they choose to encourage this, rather than try to reform or impress the populace with something foreign and offensive.

Traveller11/13 11:37 PM

By the way, The Jackpot is a venue acting as an occasional dance club that is LGBT-friendly without that being explicit. A larger, nicer version of The Jackpot with more dancing would be a safe investment.

Chico11/15 09:57 PM

Anyone ever notice how segregated the clubs are in Raleigh? Gay clubs are gay,“black” clubs are mostly black, and everything else is mostly white. I don’t know where the Hispanics, Asians and Indians hang out, but I do know there’s quite a few in the Triangle. Seems like Raleigh is a mirror of the high school cafeteria. The next time you’re in a room full of people who look just like you (take a look around and notice how often that occurs) ask yourself, “Is this what they mean when they say diversity?”

Traveller11/15 11:49 PM

Chico, I completely agree with you and have noticed the same thing. There are some notable exceptions, such as Five Star, where there is a refreshing amount of racial integration of the groups you mentioned. I don’t necessarily believe that diversity is important for diversity’s sake. What does frustrate me though is when a venue is so culturally homogeneous that the social atmosphere is too focused on adhering to the specific rules associated with that ‘scene’. It feels very neurotic, especially amongst whites. What I do like about cultural integration is that the ‘rules’ break down to the lowest common denominators, making things feel down to earth and human. I like the feeling of big public squares and parks in big cities. I think that Raleigh will feel more diverse when a substantial daytime community forms. Some monumental open public spaces will be a great start. Eventually it will trickle into the nightlife.

Chemistry11/16 09:25 AM

We are the owners of Chemistry. Let me set the record straight (pardon the pun) WE ARE NOT A GAY BAR!!! That said, we ALWAYS want a mixed crowd, like a NYC style club/lounge. Chemistry encourages all types of folks to come and have a great time. We won’t tolerate any kind of discrimination from/against our customers. We welcome and invite everyone, regardless of their orientation. What we are is a great place for people from all walks of life to mix, mingle and have a great time. Raleigh is full or rumors about us, mostly false ones. We are not a hip-hop club,drag show bar, gay bar, country western bar, nor are we a frat bar or sports bar. What we ARE is an amazing nightclub. We aren’t like anything else here in Raleigh. We spent a fortune on video, lighting and special effects systems for the dance club side. The cafe (which is an internet cafe/cybercafe) boasts a lounge like atmosphere, with amazing coffee based beverages, light grab and go food (salads, wraps and the like) pastries and baked goods, etc. With free WiFi and workstations you can use by the minute day or hour. Of an evening, the cafe serves cocktails and beer, and there is always a DJ spinning (at a greatly reduced volume) interesting and eclectic music. Later (9-10pm) the main room opens, with it’s own DJ booth, patio and private party room. After bar hours, the cafe re-opens for non alcoholic beverages and food. Further, as a member of the community, Chemistry will have several days every week where our net goes towards many different local charities and causes, such as the arts, battered women shelters, HIV/AIDS clinics, United Way, Animal rights and others just to name a few. Once you get to know us, you can understand us a bit better. Of course we are in business to make money…but business model and other investments allow us to be unique in the sense that we don’t need to exploit our customers out of every dime in their pockets…we just don’t need to. We DO need to be a good neighbor, give back to our community, make this city (at least our part of it) the kind of place WE, the owners want to live and work in. We want Chemistry and the cafe to always be a place where we’d feel comfortable in jeans and a tee shirt or a suit and tie, and be able to have a great time spending $20 or $200. Check us out when we open and get to know us before passing judgment and believing the rumor mill. We will see you all in December!

Chemistry11/16 09:36 AM

And for the record, we actually encourage you to hold hands, no matter who’s hand it is (assuming they want you too of course!)

We don’t care in the slightest who you are or what your into…as long as your fun, nice, friendly, behaved (within reason), out to have a good time (and not out to ruin others’ good time). Leave the attitudes at the door, come in and have a blast.. and if you get lucky, regardless with who(m) hold their hand & kiss ‘em for God’s sake! (Then rent the club for the ceremony please)

Spread the love, give back to your community, make new friends and talk to strangers, try new things, test your limits, have no shame but also have some class, treat others fairly and honestly and most of all, dance like no one’s watching (though we might put you up on the video walls if you really break it down) ;~)

TheWaveLife11/16 01:02 PM

Cheers @Chemistry & @Chico.

Chico11/16 02:02 PM

Chemistry sounds very Neu Romance. I hope so. We need to mix it up a bit in this town )I am available for DJing, by the way). There’s almost a million people within an hours drive of downtown Raleigh (that stat amazes me), and these folks represent all walks of life. What a joy it would be for all of us to share a dance floor, and love who we want to love, and kiss who we want to kiss. As a DJ and a lover of dance music (of the club variety) I benefit greatly from the openness and freedom that this thread has mentioned. For a history of the evolution of this struggle check out the documentary, “Maestro” (http://www.maestro-documentary.com/). If you folks at Chemistry haven’t seen this please check it out. It will show you how great music and atmosphere (and a bitchin’ sound system) can bring people together, and make a lot of folks happy - and you a whole lot of loot. Good luck!

Traveller11/16 07:14 PM

There are a few issues I’ve considered with a Raleigh nightclub.

1.) The population isn’t large enough (a ~1 million greater metro is tiny) to attract a niche clientele who consistently enjoys what a dance club has to offer.

2.) On the flip side, overgeneralizing a nightclub to satisfy a broader market makes it bland for everyone which leads to imminent failure.

3.) It is difficult to keep the correct cultural balance, and there is the risk that one culture group claims the club, repelling others.

4.) Without the constantly transient population of a larger city, how do you keep a more static population from getting bored with the routine? In other words, how do you become a community mainstay rather than a passing fad?

I’m curious to see how these are going to be addressed with this venture.

smitty11/16 08:20 PM

How does a bar become a gay bar? This has always been a mystery to me. Does it happen on purpose or by accident?

brian_M11/16 10:59 PM

The best bar I ever went to was in Atlanta in the late 80’s, called Weekends. It was what this club is saying they want to be…and I hope they make it happen. Another great one (in my opinion) was Mythos in Charlotte. I hope this one turns out to be something special, and is funky enough to keep the Glenwood crowd away…

smitty11/17 12:31 AM

Sorry for the threadjack, but take a look at this: http://capitalcabaret.com/

jobags11/17 03:18 AM

the “club rules” section outlining the dress code seems to conflict with the idea that chemistry should “always be a place where we’d feel comfortable in jeans and a tee shirt or a suit and tie…” sounds a bit like you do care who we are and what we’re into. i won’t have someone judge whether or not my shirt is “fitted” enough to spend money there. i’d rather go somewhere that welcomes me in my sneakers after standing on my feet at work for 8 hours.

if you really want to create an authentic sense of community, outlining your detailed qualifications for getting past the front door is a poor place to start. so much for a “mixed crowd.”

Brian11/17 12:06 PM

“We want Chemistry and the cafe to always be a place where we’d feel comfortable in jeans and a tee shirt or a suit and tie…” Mmk, so then why does the dress code say no t-shirts? Also, no headbands means no hipster girls. Diversity!

gd11/17 12:19 PM

No sneakers? Really? Hmm.
Guess that means that I won’t ever go here even though it sounds like it will be a decent place. Last thing I want to wear on a night out on the town is something other than a fresh pair of kicks.

Micah11/17 01:55 PM

I think the tee shirt part of their policy was meant to read, “Your tee shirt must end somewhere at the top of your butt and not at your knees.” The dress code does seem a little more restrictive than the Chemistry insider posted above. I don’t mind dress codes so much, I just find that they are always very selectively applied by the people at the door. I try not to care, since it is their sandbox and they can play how they want…And I can play somewhere else. Oh, and although their website is pretty an all, it is SO annoying when a site autoplays music. It is also annoying when a site is overly complicated. I’m sure their site cost plenty, but I won’t visit it again.

Chemistry11/17 02:26 PM

As we mentioned before and on our site, IT ISN’T FINISHED YET! The rules, photos, maps and events parts don’t work yet. Our web guys put it up for our review, we have not ‘published’ it anywhere or advertised it yet as it isn’t complete…expect by the end of the week it will be finished. Until then, some pricing, maps, directions, photos and club rules aren’t accurate. They used template info as filler for us to get the look and feel. Sorry about the confusion!

Christopher B11/17 06:07 PM

What Chico said.

Micah11/18 03:58 AM

Any good web developer would not publish a site to a publicly known and advertised domain name when the website is inaccurate or incomplete. The link to the mockup site should have been buried and you should have been given the specific URL. Your main page should have just said “coming soon” or something similar. You say you haven’t advertised your site as complete? Huh? You have been advertising for months on myspace and in a few other places. A Google search for ‘Chemistry Raleigh’ has returned your website as the top result for over a month. Good job that you at least changed some of the inaccurate information since you read this message board. Mistakes get made sometimes and you should solve them and move on. There is little positive to say about the website though…Flash? REALLY?

Traveller11/18 01:53 PM

The specifics of the club are irrelevant. Several venues have dress codes and all sorts of strange rules, none of which detract from their success. In many cases it makes sense given the context. What is important is the context. Is Chemistry going to play in to the appropriate context of downtown Raleigh in 2010? There are no existing examples of a large modern dance club in Raleigh, so there’s not a lot to compare to. It probably makes sense to gather inspiration from dance clubs in large metros as a precedent, but this may be a mistake. Ironically, going out on a limb and introducing a completely novel concept increases the likelihood of success when it comes to a cultural venue. So, if it smells like something too familiar, throw it out.

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Jedidiah Wednesday, November 11, 2009