For the first time in at least a college generation, night revelers, weekend booty-shakers and barflies alike will have five bars to choose from downtown, with two soon-to-open hot spots promising to add fire to the city social scene.
“When you go to a big state school, you expect a social scene,” senior family studies major Marisa Astiz said. “If you talk to students at other large state universities, they have so many bars and we have three.”
There have been three since Lupo’s closed at the end of the fall semester, but now, two bars – The Mark and The Thirsty Turtle – are set to stand side by side on Route 1, albeit at opposite ends of the bar-scene spectrum.
The Mark, a lounge concept that opens Friday, is the creation of Cornerstone Grill and Loft and Santa Fe Cafe owner Mark Srour, and takes a more intimate approach to nightlife than most college bars.
The Thirsty Turtle, slated to open in the next two to three weeks with a pizza-and-beer-heavy menu, will probably be more of what college students have come to expect: big, loud, cheap and, well, rowdy. But the second floor, owners said, is something College Park has never had: A massive venue capable of housing large-scale nationally promoted bands and musical acts.
“The closest you can get to something like this is the 9:30 Club,” part-owner Thomas Hall said of the building’s second floor. “Students aren’t going to believe what we have.”
The Mark general manager Andy Budacki said Srour preferred to take a more restrained approach to his eponymous lounge, using the small space next to Jimmy John’s to create an environment increasingly popular in large cities known for a vibrant nightlife.
“We wanted to create a lounge that had the feel of a New York or Miami club, something that is completely new and different. We felt it was something that just hadn’t been explored,” Budacki said. “By 10 o’clock [other bars] can feel overcrowded. We wanted somewhere where you could relax and not have to yell over everyone you know.”
The decor reflects the venues’ approach to service, with The Thirsty Turtle divided into three large sections and The Mark filling its tiny space with comfortable couches and a small, sleek bar.
At the Turtle, Lupo’s former first-floor barroom has been designed as a television-filled sports bar where Hall said “the focus will be primarily to eat and watch every possible sporting event available.”
The dining room will still remain on the first floor, but will also incorporate a dance floor and a D.J., for late-night events, Hall said.
On the second floor, the walls are painted a bold red and decorated with Greek letters of every fraternity and sorority on the campus. Owners have spent $150,000 on a state-of-the-art light and sound system and installed a stage.
Hall said the venue will host local and regional bands as well as a monthly national act, and owners have been in contact with up-and-coming artists as well as established singers such as Fiona Apple.
The bar is not being exclusively marketed toward students, however, Alan Wanuck said. It will be open to “families, the business clientele, the university clientele and the students. We are going after every demographic,” he said.
“Our overall view is to have kids come [upstairs] and view a band, go downstairs and dance, then go to the right to eat and watch sports,” Hall said. “It’s a multifaceted, enormous venue so the kids could do a lot in one evening.”
The Mark’s decor counters the commonly held image of College Park bars, with a “trendy” 1960s mod-inspired look, Budacki said. The lounge features yellow, green and purple L-shaped couches formed into squares so customers can relax in a close-knit atmosphere. A large bar extends the left wall of the venue with stools for those who prefer more isolation.
“The most important thing is it’s the exact opposite of what’s in College Park.” Budacki said. “It’s a place you can hang out, a place you can enjoy without being overcrowded. The whole purpose of this is to be different. You don’t know what to expect from here.”
The idea of individuality extends into all aspects of the new bar. Owners eliminated the stereotypical white, fluorescent bathroom and replaced it with black-tiled walls and floor, a black toilet and vessel sink. A “surprise” for bar-goers using the facilities is located on the ceiling, as well.
“I can’t give away all my secrets,” Budacki said. “You’ve got to give [students] a little bit of anticipation. “
The bar even offer patrons what could be the most trendy culinary option to hit College Park in years: Tapas.
Tapas are small appetizers meant to be ordered four or five at a time and shared by diners. The Mark’s tapas will probably include dishes such as pineapple chicken satay, Budacki said.
The Thirsty Turtle, keeping with the idea of bigger-is-better, plans to give students large portions of Italian-American cuisine for cheap prices. Pizza, calzones, burgers, fries and hot-dogs will all appear on the bar’s menu. Alario’s Pizza will have a small franchise within The Thirsty Turtle, Wanuck said.
While alcohol options at The Thirsty Turtle will mirror that of other College Park bars, The Mark will allow students to expand their drinking selection. Customers can purchase a variety of drinks, ranging in price from a $4 beer to a $210 bottle of champagne.
Contact reporter Steven Overly at overlydbk@gmail.com.
