March 19th, 2009
Couldn’t it just be the ‘Starlite Lounge’?
Were you wondering what was happening to the space formerly occupied by Somerville’s most venerable live-music venue, the Abbey Lounge? Here’s what:
March 18, 2009 (SOMERVILLE, MA) Trina’s Starlite Lounge, a restaurant and bar located at 3 Beacon Street in Inman Square, is slated to open Summer 2009. Owners Josh Childs (co-owner of Silvertone Bar & Grill) and Trina and Beau Sturm (City Bar and Highland Kitchen, respectively) have sixty years of collective front-of-house and back-of-house experience, including some of Boston’s most notable bars. Together they will bring exceptional service, fun and appealing cocktails and affordable, southern-influenced bar fare to the urban diner in an environment inspired by 1940s and 1950s.
The folks behind Silvertone and Highland Kitchen? Check. A new, hip hangout in the Inman Square vicinity? Check. “Appealing cocktails,” “affordable, southern-influenced bar fare,” and “an environment inspired by 1940s and 1950s?” Check. Unfortunately, however, this will no longer be a live-music venue. And, instead of just being called the Starlite Lounge, it’s called Trina’s Starlite Lounge. Do we really need one of the owner’s names attached? Couldn’t we let the concept speak for itself?
Still, sounds like a place well worth investigating.
In other bar-launch news, I’ve heard a couple of reports that the old B-Side is being gutted (at least partially) in order to make way for the new establishment that will occupy that corner of Windsor and Hampshire in Cambridge. Could we really be in for two new good bars this summer?
Permalink | Filed under Boston bars | Tags: Abbey Lounge, Inman Square, lounge, music club, somerville
March 19th, 2009 at 5:17 am
I will concede that the Starlite Lounge is a better name than Trina’s Starlite Lounge, but that’s almost a quibble. I loved and miss the Abbey and bemoan the loss of another live-rock venue, but quail to think of the abominations that might have taken its place (example: faux-Irish chain outlet).
All things considered, given my high regard for Silvertone and Highland Kitchen, I’m pretty excited at the possibilities here. Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the Tom and Jerry batter in the drinking, but it’s hard for me not to have an early warm feeling about this project.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:47 am
Nope, I like Trina’s Starlight Lounge. There’s precedent to the form.
March 20th, 2009 at 4:05 am
I witnessed some of the gutting going on this morning at B-Side as I drove by. Very much looking forward to getting the scoop on what’s going in there!
March 20th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
What are the precedents to the form, p. gin? Yeah, it’s a quibble; the name just tweaked me the wrong way. I, too, was relieved that the space wasn’t going faux-Irish.
March 21st, 2009 at 1:28 pm
My vote is to drop “Trina’s”. Sounds cleaner without it and tacky with it.
I’m not hearing great things about the old B-Side. The last I heard the new owners were rubbing more than a few people the wrong way, and were meeting strong resistance from the neighbors in their battle for a 2am license. I’m not sure if it’s final yet, but early word is that they were naming the place, “Lord Hobo.” What’s in a name? Everything…
Has anyone heard the same or anything more?
March 21st, 2009 at 3:27 pm
For what it’s worth, I immediately thought of Harry Denton’s Starlight Room. So it works for me…
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
hmm. i’m a fan of the xxx’s { lounge | bar | watering hole } nomenclature (consider how damnably excellent “Jack Lynch’s Webster Lounge” both sounds and was). the problem is with the “trina” part … trinas participate in PTO bake sales and church socials. for a woman’s name to work in front of “‘s starlight lounge” it has to at least be vaguely plausible as a 19c. whore’s nickname.
in my opinion, of course.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Looks like “Lord Hobo” it is for the B-Side.
I hope they get their 2am lateness approved.
Also some interesting things about the upcoming Friendly Toast and Cuchi-Cuchi gets a fortune teller.
Who knew you needed a license from the city for that?
Application Checkraise LLC d/b/a Lord Hobo, Daniel Lanigan, Manager has applied to transfer the All Alcoholic Beverages as a Restaurant license at 92 Hampshire Street currently held by Northbound Train, Inc d/b/a B-Side Lounge, Mark DeGiacomo, Chapter 7 Trustee. The operating hours would be Monday through Wednesday 4:00p.m. to 1:00a.m., Thursdays and Fridays from 4:00p.m. to 2:00a.m., Saturdays from 11:00a.m. to 2:00a.m., and Sundays from 11:00a.m. to 1:00a.m. with a seating capacity of 95. Applicant is also applying for an Entertainment license to include an audio tape machine/CD which may play music below, at, or above conversation level and 5 TV’s. This address is located in Cap area 13.
Application Toasted Hatch, LLC d/b/a The Friendly Toast, Melissa Jasper, Manager, has applied for a new All Alcoholic Beverages as a Restaurant license at One Kendall Square, Building 300. The proposed hours of operation are 7:00a.m. to 1:00a.m. seven days per week with a seating capacity of 150. Applicant is also applying for 24 seats (taken from inside) on a seasonal private outdoor patio with service of food and alcohol. This address is located in Cap area 13.
Application Cuchi Cuchi, Ltd. d/b/a Cuchi Cuchi, Maria DaSilva, Manager, holder of an all Alcoholic Beverages as a Restaurant license at 795 Main Street has applied for a Fortune Teller’s license for Jinevra Howard and Amber Knight to do tarot card readings on said premises, a Change of Officers/Directors, and a Transfer of Stock.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Interesting stuff, Mark. Lord Hobo? Sounds like some kind of geek-gamer thing. I hope adults are welcome there. I expect they will be — I have considerable trust in Mr. Lanigan. Love Portsmouth’s Friendly Toast and would love to see them throw something similarly funky in sterile Bldg 300 of 1 Kendall Sq. Of course you need a license for fortune-telling … this is Boston, after all.
March 24th, 2009 at 3:26 am
LORD HOBO???? I cannot believe that name! My friend actually laughed when I told him and asked me if I was joking. “Hey, come meet us after work at Lord Hobo”… really? I suppose it could be cool, but with FIVE tv’s I doubt it.
March 24th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Eight letters, very memorable, a bit ironically self-conscious. I think that’s a pretty good name for a Cambridge beer-geek bar.
March 24th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
And if they’d restored it to is pre-B-Side glory as the Windsor Tap, they could have called it Baron Meth Dealer.
March 25th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
one more for the straight up Starlite Lounge, but loved S-tone from the early days so yes will give this one a shot …
March 25th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Trina’s Starlite Lounge sounds fantastically awful. Like the owner got too drunk and put up his bar in a game of high stakes poker with his best stripper. Sorry, Frankie, it’s gonna be my name in lights all over this place!
Starlite Lounge just isn’t awful enough, and isn’t classy like Silvertone.
March 27th, 2009 at 10:41 am
wow, all these comments about the names of places not yet open? i’m no marketing expert, but these places might be on to something.
March 30th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I am hopeing that this joint will bring in the classic cocktails that the B-side left behind. I am a fan of both Silvetone and the highland Kitchen but hope this new place will be heavier on the ecelectic then the generic.
September 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 pm
And don’t forget Brodigan’s Crossroads (beacon and mass ave)….Oooh, I really do miss Jack Lynch’s Webster Lounge. Also, the Abbey was just a dive until the guys from Schnockered made it legendary.
Peace.
October 5th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Well, Trina’s starlite opened. Pretty damn impressive place imo. I’ve been to sooo many bars, and I think this one has struck a chord with me. Great atmosphere, a touch of 50’s flair (not overdone though, like some kitch bar), really friendly staff, food was excellent and just enough off the ‘normal’ fare to make it interesting: Fried chicken over a freshly made buttermilk waffle?! I had my doubts, but we couldn’t get enough of it. We HAD to order the highlife ponies in the ice bucket, don’t know why the wife and I were so thrilled about em’ (they are cool and cute tho’), but wish I had tried some of the cocktails, they looked yummy. Looking forward to trying them out in the future. btw: they seem to have underplayed the “Trina’s” in their logo.. I think it works, and besides there’s ALOT of starlites out there, so it’s probably a good thing to be able to distingush them.
October 5th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
It is impressive, TDM. Certainly an establishment to keep an eye on as they mature a bit. And you make a good point about the need to distinguish one Starlite from another.