DEBORA SHAULIS | On the Scene At the heart of the city is Core, for nightlife with a pulse

Go ahead. Try to look from the outside in at Core, the new dance club at West Federal and Phelps streets in downtown Youngstown. The outer windows have been darkened. Walk by hastily and you'll think it's just another empty building.
The real Core can't be seen until you've passed through the main entrance and a second set of doors. The explosion of color, texture and music that lies beyond the smoked glass will startle you.
Core's owners had been relishing the element of surprise in the weeks leading up to the club's opening two weekends ago. Now that the wrapper is off the package, they're talking more freely about the newest addition to the local entertainment scene.
As Canfield natives, co-owners Bernard Marinelli and Don Bova are quite aware of the "There's nothing to do around here" attitude. "We used to say the same thing," Marinelli said recently, while seated on one of the club's curvy couches.
"We're hoping to fill that void," Bova added. So far, as they've invited people to check out the club, visitors have drawn comparisons to clubs they've seen in New York, Miami and other metropolitan areas. "They have never said 'I feel like I'm in Youngstown'," Bova added.
Setting is crucial
They (along with business partner Bob Frederick) wanted a downtown setting for their club. Bova talks about the excitement he feels when he walks out the main doors and sees 15-story buildings in the city's skyline. Marinelli -- too young to have memories of downtown Youngstown when it bustled like Manhattan -- has seen photographs and heard stories of better days.
"What we've created wouldn't work in a retail plaza," Marinelli said.
"It's all about the vibe," Bova added.
Marinelli and Bova say they haven't patterned Core after another club, but have followed their own ideas and visions for the last year. "We wanted it to have a contemporary feel," Bova said.
Its location may be the core -- the leftover, disposable part of a consumed apple -- but the club's decor compares better to a new, whole, shiny piece of fruit.
A look inside
Walls are soaked in bright red, with vibrant orange as a secondary color. "You need to paint them loud to get the subtleness when the lights are down," Bova said.
Curved couches with high backs and upholstered in red patterned fabric flank the dance floor, with short white oval and round tables at each. Small red lights glow in every table leg. The couches are purposefully large; people will sit together and start conversations, Marinelli said.
On the left wall are several seating niches -- two-seater stations for couples. The bar, on the right, also features curvy lines, silver accents and a waterfall curtain.
Not everything inside Core is brand new. The dance floor is made of century-old terrazzo tile that was uncovered during renovations. They kept the flooring as a tie between the old downtown and the new, Bova said.
In the rear of the club, behind a red velvet curtain, is a VIP area that contains more couches and cocktail tables, plus a private entrance from Phelps Street. Core's owners are ready to welcome celebrities who perform at nearby venues -- especially Edward W. Powers Auditorium -- and want to unwind afterward.
Music
Core is offering contemporary jazz music from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays for the after-work crowd. After 8 p.m., the music changes to club and pop dance remixes. On Saturdays, the club music will be pumpin' from 7 p.m. to closing and on Sundays, music of the 1970s will be played.
Patrons have a role in enhancing the vibe at Core by following a dress code that shuns cut-offs and flip-flops and extremely baggy clothes, among other casual styles. The rules are posted at the entrance.
With capacity at 214, is Core too small? Bova thinks not; "It's a nice size ... better feel, better vibe," he said. Is it in a dangerous location? The perception that downtown is unsafe is flawed, Marinelli said. "There's always a [police] presence. You always see someone."
Core may be different than nearby establishments -- Cedar Lounge and Plaza Cafe book bands, while The Draught House is a traditional bar -- but it's another draw to downtown Youngstown and another step toward creating an entertainment center in the Mahoning Valley.
XDebora Shaulis is entertainment editor. Write her at shaulis@vindy.com.