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Nightspot to reopen as upscale dance club

The former 1470 West, a gay and lesbian nightclub, soon will reopen as Blur. There will be a dress code, one owner says.

By SHEELA RAMAN
Published October 5, 2006

DUNEDIN - 325 Main St. is getting a makeover. New air conditioning, new plumbing, new paint, and a trendy name - Blur.

Virgel Kelly and Kathy Carlson, who own Kelly's and the Chic-a-Boom Room, bought the property in August for $1-million, Kelly said.

It's the former site of 1470 West, a nightclub that was popular with the gay and lesbian community and was known for its female impersonators and lively dance floor.

The nightclub shut down in early 2005 and has been vacant since then.

Blur, which will open in late November, will be a more upscale dance spot, Kelly said.

"This will cater to those who are fairly educated, but who like to have a good time," he said.

There will be a dress code banning ripped jeans and hats. "We've got to keep out the trash, that's all," Kelly said.

There will also be a cover charge of $5 to $7, depending on the night and whether a live band is playing, Kelly said.

When there isn't a live band, either house, techno or hip-hop music will fuel the dance floor, he said.

After Blur opens, there will no longer be live bands playing on the outside patio of the Chic-a-Boom Room, which is next door, Kelly said. This should stop neighbors from complaining about the loud music outside, he said.

The Chic-a-Boom Room, which now plays some upbeat music, will become a quieter venue that plays lounge music, said Kelly.

Although Blur will have seven or eight tables where people can sit, Kelly said he expects it to be a more of a standing and dancing kind of place. He expects it to attract young people from Dunedin and surrounding areas, including Clearwater, Palm Harbor and St. Petersburg.

"The whole area around here needs a dance club," he said.

Gregory Brady, owner of Gregory's Salon on Main Street, said he worked at 325 Main Street when it was a nightclub called Dallape's, which also catered to a gay clientele.

He said after it became 1470 West in the early 1990s, he remembers the new owner placing less emphasis on the gay scene and more emphasis on creating good times for everyone.

But in recent years, 1470 West was getting run down, Brady said. He said he is excited about the opening of Blur.

"I think it will be modernized, trendy and fun," he said.

The Rev. Joseph Teague, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Dunedin, said he is wary of a new nightspot opening on the site of 1470 West.

"It has been nice since that place has been closed," he said.

Teague said he doubts Dunedin has enough young people to warrant a nightclub that size. "But we'll have to see how it goes," he said. "If it does become a busy night scene, it might prove to be a great evangelism outreach for us."

Kelly said he and Carlson are spending about $500,000 to renovate 325 Main St. In addition to new plumbing, electrical wiring and air conditioning, the entire interior will be repainted and refurbished, he said.

"We took it down to its shell," Kelly said.

The floor layout will remain the same as 1470 West, but it will have a color scheme of blues and grays, and ceiling beams will be cleared to create a more open environment.

Kelly said although he is creating a more upscale nightspot, he hopes Blur will attract a wide range of people.

"The lines are blurred," he said.

[Last modified October 4, 2006, 22:46:47]