The owners of two new businesses opening on Lake Avenue are hoping their Midtown neighborhood will become the next hot spot to grab a drink in Traverse City.

The Ticker spoke with Rob Lindsay, owner of The Parlor, and Nate Crane, owner of Rare Bird Brewery and Taproom, about the launch of their upcoming ventures and what customers can expect from the newest additions to the city's nightlife scene.

The Parlor
Lindsay cut his teeth running concert venues and bars in metro Detroit and as the general manager of an upscale cigar lounge in Naples, Fla., but his move back to Michigan represents his true dream job: Owning his own bar in Traverse City. Tonight, the entrepreneur will open the doors to The Parlor, a cocktail lounge located in the former private dining room of Om Cafe. (The two businesses will share some resources, such as the building's liquor license and kitchen, but are otherwise independent entities; Om will continue operating in the restaurant's main dining room next door.)

“The goal is to (provide) a refined, classy experience and revive the art of the conversation,” Lindsay says of The Parlor. “People are forgetting about the greatness of conversation and how nice it is to sit in a warm, cozy environment and talk over a good cocktail. We want to bring that back.”

Lindsay says his drink list will feature housemade simple syrups, juices and mixers with a focus on craft cocktails, including the Pineapple Lemongrass Mojito, Chocolate Decadence, Cucumber 65 and Lindsay's specialty, the Smoke Stack, in which he infuses bourbon with apple or cherry-wood smoke right in the customer's glass.

In addition to cocktails, The Parlor will also soon offer a variety of small plates. Lindsay says the menu is still being finalized, but will center on a “hearty selection of appetizers.” He also plans to offer a number of wine and beer options, including the small-batch, bottle-conditioned beers of Om's Big Toe Brewery line.

Starting this weekend, The Parlor will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Next summer, when the building's deck opens, Lindsay plans to expand his hours. He also says the bar will offer occasional live music entertainment and “tent parties” in the parking lot for major holidays, such as St. Patrick's Day. But Lindsay's priority remains to cultivate the The Parlor's namesake quality, reflected in its upscale décor, dim lighting and carefully staged conversation areas.

“I think it will have a uniqueness and its own appeal,” says Lindsay, who adds that he isn't worried about competition in Traverse City's crowded bar and brewery scene. “We're doing something different...my hope is Midtown will become its own brand and (destination).”

Rare Bird Brewery and Taproom
Next door, Crane and his partner Tina Schuett are busy putting the finishing touches on Rare Bird Brewery and Taproom, a 4,200 square-foot facility that will offer a full bar, food menu and Schuett's line of in-house brews.

“Things are moving along really well,” says Crane. “The mechanical work is done, everything's framed in, we're finishing up the brew house and our equipment will hopefully be arriving this week so Tina can start brewing.”

The partners just finished a successful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo for the venture, surpassing their goal of $15,000 to hit $18,755 in raised funds, which Crane says will be primarily used for operating capital. While the duo had originally hoped to open this fall, Crane says their new goal is to be open by the first of the year.

“There are still some (outstanding) items we need to take care of, but we're hoping everything comes together,” he says. “If it does, the first of the year will be doable.”