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The new nightclub was inviting, even though the sun was shining and it would be hours before doors opened to welcome a steady customer flow.
A polished and painted concrete floor looked more like fancy tile. The sunken dance floor was surrounded by expansive bars on each side and a stage opposite the entrance. Fifteen large screen televisions adorned the walls, and the bathrooms were immaculate. A spiral staircase led to a VIP section high above. Harpo's had never looked better. Harpo's Brandon, that is.
Years ago, you would have thought the Harpo's in Ybor City would evolve into just such a jewel. In Ybor's heyday, the club on the corner of Seventh Avenue and 18th Street was one of the district's most popular destinations, with one band inside and more music on outdoor patios.
But when owner Jeff Hatjioannou's 10-year lease expired in 2003, he walked away from the club. He still has rights to the patio on the corner and plans to re-open it later this year, but his excitement lies with the new club.
Yes, Brandon may be on the verge of surpassing Ybor.
"We're getting a better clientele here," Hatjioannou said proudly. "It's a lot of people 25 and up. We have a dress code: no T-shirts, no jerseys, no baseball caps, no bandanas."
It's clear Hatjioannou is steering his new club away from the kind of crowd that has become all too common in Ybor. Like weeds choking off flowers, the atmosphere of blaring music, belly-busting drink specials and teen-driven throngs have been a major factor in the struggles of Centro Ybor.
Those struggles peaked Wednesday when entertainment complex owners told city officials Centro Ybor can't make payments on a $9-million loan guaranteed by city tax dollars.
It's difficult to specifically target why Centro hasn't caught fire. Owners fault competition from International Plaza, but that fails to acknowledge the greater problem: a perception that Ybor is only for college-aged kids who can't get into college.
The walk from the 15th Street parking garage to Centro Ybor is short and easy, but visitors are often inundated by hip-huggers, pierced navels and shocking tattoos. Of course, that's why I always park in the garage.
But the fashion choices of those kids - I'm trying hard not to use the "punks" term everyone seems to prefer - are intimidating to older, money-spending adults. Some see it as an affront, some see it as a disturbing indication of what their kids will look like in a couple of years and others view it as a sad reminder they're just not as young as they used to be.
The thought that you're going to bump into a kid with spiked hair and seven nose rings has prompted folks to avoid some nice Centro clubs and restaurants that cater to an older crowd. The Improv is one of the top three nighttime destinations in the city, sushi lovers are drawn to Samurai Blue and Adobe Gila's is perfect for people watching.
The other restaurants are acceptable, but they never created the kind of consistent buzz Maggiano's brought to WestShore or Cheesecake Factory brought to International Plaza. You can't exactly say Centro is played out. With a start that coincided with a failing economy and 9/11, it never played in.
Ultimately, Centro's success would have been more immediate if it waited for a residential boom in Ybor. Still, there is a chance it can reinvent itself and save face - not to mention our tax dollars - but not without help from club owners. They have to realize Ybor can't sustain long-term success catering solely to sonic youth. Restaurants can team up to offer frequent dining cards. Clubs can unite for a one-cover admission approach a la Disney's Pleasure Island. But the city should insist on moves to change perceptions.
Consider this: On a streetcar ride to Ybor last year, I heard a conductor tell some elderly tourists, "You don't want to be caught in Ybor after dark. It's a real freak show."
I once scoffed when a colleague told me Ybor could return to its ghost-town days. Now, the idea of the curtain closing on this alleged freak show doesn't sound so preposterous.
That's all I'm saying.
- Ernest Hooper can be reached at Hooper@sptimes.com or 226-3406.