Exhale (dead)

[RadicalModerate]

The stage is for Quilting Bees, Tractor Repair Clinics and Milking Demonstrations.
Perhaps with the occassional reminder of where the chicken on your plate came from and how it got there.

It should be noted that the dance floor has a small raised area for the Square Dance caller.

It is doubtful that many Orthodox P.E.T.A.rians are in the projected diner demographic.

[zimmerokc]

I don't think it can be a strip club as they have not asked for that. The C-4 zoning there allows Adult Entertainment Uses as a conditional use. So they would have to have asked for permission for that and they have not. In case you are wondering:

Adult Entertainment Use: "Adult Entertainment Use" includes the following:

A. Adult Amusement or Entertainment: Amusement or entertainment which is distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on acts or material depicting, describing or relating to "Sexual Conduct" or "Specified Anatomical Areas," as defined herein, including, but not limited to, topless or bottomless dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators, or similar entertainment.
B. Adult Bookstore: An establishment having as a significant portion of its stock in trade books, film, magazines and other periodicals, which are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on depicting or describing "Sexual Conduct" or "Specified Anatomical Areas."
C. Adult Mini-Motion Picture Theater: An enclosed building with a capacity of less than 50 persons used for presenting material distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on depicting or describing "Sexual Conduct" or "Specified Anatomical Areas."
D. Adult Motel: A motel wherein material is presented, as part of the motel services, via closed circuit TV or otherwise, which is distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on depicting or describing "Sexual Conduct" or "Specified Anatomical Areas."
E. Adult Motion Picture Arcade: Any place at which slug-operated or electronically, electrically or mechanically controlled, still or motion picture machines, projectors or other image-producing devices are maintained to show images to five or fewer persons per machine at any one time, and where the images so displayed are distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on depicting or describing "Sexual Conduct" or "Specified Anatomical Areas."
F. Adult Motion Picture Theater: An enclosed building with a capacity of 50 or more persons used for presenting material distinguished or characterized by an emphasis on depicting or describing "Sexual Conduct" or "Specified Anatomical Areas."
G. Massage Parlor: Any place where, for any form of consideration or gratuity, massage, alcohol rub, administration of fomentations, electric or magnetic treatments, or any other treatment or manipulation of the human body occurs, as part of, or in connection with, "Sexual Conduct," or where any person providing such treatment, manipulation or service related thereto exposes "Specified Anatomical Areas," except that this provision shall not be construed to apply to any clinic operated by a licensed chiropractor or certified massage therapist.
H. Sexual Conduct: "Sexual Conduct" includes the following:
(1) The fondling, or other touching, of human genitals, pubic region, buttocks or female breasts.
(2) Ultimate sex acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated, including intercourse, oral copulation and sodomy.
(3) Masturbation.
(4) Excretory functions as part of, or in connection with, any of the activities set forth in (1) through (3) above.
I. Sexual Encounter Center: Any building or structure that contains, or is used for, commercial entertainment where the patron, directly or indirectly, is charged a fee to engage in personal contact with, or to allow personal contact by, employees, devices or equipment, or by personnel provided by the establishment, which appeals to the prurient interest of the patron, to include, but not to be limited to, bathhouses, massage parlors, and related or similar activities.
J. Specified Anatomical Areas: "Specified Anatomical Areas" includes the following:
(1) Human genitals, pubic region, buttocks, and female breasts below a point immediately above the top of the areola.
(2) Human male genitals in a discernibly turgid state, even if completely, and opaquely, covered.

Which is way more than I wanted to know!

[RadicalModerate]

I am not easily impressed.
Wow! < =)

How, 'zactly, do that statute be enforced?
I'd think that even the law, itself, would be "Banned in Boston".
Especially the "turgid" part. Even if Boston is a major league city.
(They'd pronounce it "tuhgid" paht . . . 'specially in South Boston . . . Which could cause confusion. =)

I guess Theyare going for a new incarnation of The Prohibition Room.
(Boston pronunciation: "ah goin' fah a new incahnation . . .")

Sorry . . . Too much "This Old House" on PBS.

[RadicalModerate]

When it comes right down to it . . .

Who cares what [the abandoned garage/used car dealership] on Broadway becomes . . .
As long as this is on the mechanical jukebox link/interface, next to the tables and barstools and booths, that gives you (and everyone else, btw) the choice of inserting a quarter--or having your phone scanned--in order to play this:



It makes nostalgic for the day after my 11th Birthday right before JFK was shot.
And Rick Nelson took the tune to the top o' the charts with a bullet.

Does the plan for the proposed venue stage include "Hologram Projectors"? yet? =)

[Steve]

At OKCCentral Steve reports he spoke to the restaurant consultant seeking the approval (David Ledbetter) and he confirmed it will not be a strip or hip hop club.

Said it would be more of a family style restaurant, which certainly doesn't seem to match the submitted floor plan.

No, he didn't say it would be "family style" - in fact, he wasn't saying much other than it won't be a strip or hip-hop club. Hope to learn more tomorrow.

[Pete]

You quoted him as comparing the concept to Babe's in Dallas, which is all I meant.


All this is very strange but thanks for your efforts Steve.

[RadicalModerate]

Thank you both (or is that 'de bot' of you?) for keeping this "issue" in perspective and keepin' it "Strange" . . . =)

Strip Club: No.
Strip Mall: Mebbe.
Strip Other: Almost Fer Shure . . .

The Jury and Planning Commission is out . . .
So while we are waiting . . .
How about . . .

[adaniel]

You quoted him as comparing the concept to Babe's in Dallas, which is all I meant.


All this is very strange but thanks for your efforts Steve.

I have been to Babe's on several occasions. A very good restaraunt, but looking at the floorplan it looks like nothing I remember. Babe's is basically a stripped down open restaraunt with big tables to compliment its "family style" theme. I can tell you there is NO stage of any sort. There is certainly no bar, and I don't even think they serve alcohol. Its also about 1/4 the size of this. Their kitchens and cooking areas could be smaller than the average restaraunt simply because they offer few items, but that's the only thing that sounds plausible.

I really think the city is being taken for a ride. I mean, who the hell names a family place "Exhale"?

EDIT: This is their website. You can see for yourself how similar the concepts are.

[dankrutka]

No, he didn't say it would be "family style" - in fact, he wasn't saying much other than it won't be a strip or hip-hop club. Hope to learn more tomorrow.

I actually think this city needs a good hip hop club a lot more than another family style place. Diversity is good for people and establishments... and this is an entertainment district and area.

[Pete]

On OKC Central two different posters are saying the format will be a steakhouse with country & western live music.

[Steve]

We'll know for sure tomorrow....

[Spartan]

It sounds like they could use a change of name as they proceed in attempting to convince us that this is a legit business.

[RodH]

IIRC Toby Keith's has a similar floorplan, stage, dance floor, mezzanine.

[Teo9969]

It sounds like they could use a change of name as they proceed in attempting to convince us that this is a legit business.

And because Exhale sounds a whole lot more like a cigar lounge than it does a family steakhouse...

[Rover]

If you google the name, almost none are strip joints, etc. I find hookah bars, steakhouses, spas, yoga schools, etc, etc, etc. I guess this board's immediate assumption or suspicion of it being something risqué is probably telling. And everyone on here isn't from HH. LOL

[Steve]

Met with designer this morning. They're not ready to do a story. But designer (Dave Ledbetter) says Exhale is name of company, won't be name of restaurant, that the name will likely be "Broadway Station." He showed me preliminary exterior design - looks like a nod to the old Oklahoma Station, old west motif. Says it will be a restaurant with country/western performances....

[metro]

Weird

[kevinpate]

So some folk can soon scoot a boot from TK's in BT all the way up through AA once this is up and running. That'll make some CM fans happy. Some hipsters ... not so much.

[Rover]

Though I am not a country western fan, this is not a bad idea. Austin has thrived by embracing the cool cowboy image while we tend to get embarrassed by our heritage. This could be okay as long as it embraces the cool side, not the backwoods side of country.

[betts]

Met with designer this morning. They're not ready to do a story. But designer (Dave Ledbetter) says Exhale is name of company, won't be name of restaurant, that the name will likely be "Broadway Station." He showed me preliminary exterior design - looks like a nod to the old Oklahoma Station, old west motif. Says it will be a restaurant with country/western performances....

Hopefully the old west motif is subtle on the exterior. I don't really care what they do on the inside, as country-western isn't my thing.

[Pete]

I used to be dead-set against C&W but a girlfriend opened me up to the genre and I was surprised to find that the large majority of the newer music is pretty progressive.

It's really the last bastion of the singer/songwriter and many of them are very talented.

If this was a nice place that featured artists that could really sing -- as opposed to some sort of honky tonk -- even the hipper crowd might find some interest.


There are certainly not nearly enough live music venues in town and if this does well that may help the Tower Theater as well as some other nearby spots.

[dankrutka]

Red Dirt/Texas Country music is very different from old school country. Artists like Cross Canadian Ragweed (although they broke up), Jason Boland, and others are pretty popular among younger people.

[Easy180]

Says it will be a restaurant with country/western performances....

Maybe it will nab the same big time country artists (not one) that I Love This Bar and Grill promised

[ljbab728]

The latest from Steve on his blog.

http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/20...adway-delayed/

[EBAH]

i actually think this city needs a good hip hop club a lot more than another family style place. Diversity is good for people and establishments... And this is an entertainment district and area.

totally agree