By Rick Forgione
I got a sick sense of deja vu while standing in the Ultra Lounge earlier this week.
While interviewing new leaseholder Craig Simon about his plans to transform the building into a new restaurant and bar hotspot, I turned to owner Dan Vecchies and joked “haven’t we done this before?”
In fact, we have — a few times.
Since Vecchies reopened the vacant building at 441 Third St. in 2003 and turned it into the Shadow Martini Bar, the building has had its share of successes and failures. I certainly hope that Simon’s new venture will be part of the former and not the latter.
But it’s tough to bet on it.
After all, I was sure Vecchies hit a home run back in 2007 when he leased out the Shadow Bar’s top floor for the new Fatboy’s Comedy Club. Even though a different comedy club had already failed at the site, I left the interview feeling optimistic that R-rated knock knock jokes would mix well with martinis.
The punchline was cruel. Fat Boy’s folded in less than a year — and soon Vecchies found himself struggling to keep the rest of Shadow open.
Fast forward to 2008 and me walking into the closed down Shadow Bar, now under new management and named Ultra Lounge. I interviewed Louie Bax, who at the time was already managing Club New York and had big plans for not only Ultra but pumping up all of Third Street’s “entertainment district.” With his sister, Kelly Hockett holding the building’s lease, Bax excitedly promoted interior renovations, including a new green-and-blue motif, a wider area without booths and guest DJs playing a variety of music.
He called it “your neighborhood bar, with class.”
Unfortunately, the neighborhood in question was a struggling Third Street and Ultra Lounge became just another casualty. After keeping sporadic hours during the week, Ultra closed down for good this past December. Vecchies found himself looking for a new tenant and decided to advertise on Craig’s List.
Ironically, it was a Craig that answered and soon Simon was dreaming about reopening Ultra as a full-scale restaurant and sports bar, with a mix of dancing on the weekends.
So, naturally Vecchies called me earlier this week and asked if we could help with a little press to promote the new direction.
I didn’t hesitate.
The way I see it, any positive development on Third Street is good for our city’s future and as the local newspaper, we should help celebrate any success.
If you didn’t read it, the story ran Friday on the front page and is chock full of positive quotes from Simon and Vecchies about what’s in store in the upcoming months and how the soon-to-be-renamed Ultra will complement a street that has shown more signs of life in the past year or so.
And even though I’ve heard it all before, I left the interview once again feeling optimistic that Simon has the drive and commitment to end the losing streak the building has endured.
Maybe with the community’s support, the third time — or is it the fourth — will be the charm.
Rick Forgione is the City Editor of the Niagara Gazette. Contact him at 282-2311, ext. 2257.
