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Downtown 36 club to open
YOUNGSTOWN — The latest addition to the downtown nightlife scene is Downtown 36, which opens Wednesday at the site of the former Core nightclub.
The co-owners — Joe Zumpella and Joe Safarek — have repositioned the club to attract a broader audience than Core, which was primarily an upscale martini bar.
“Our goal will be to keep a classy atmosphere while being able to attract the YSU crowd. We will have drink specials, special promotions, theme parties, college ID nights and ladies nights,” said Zumpella.
“We have created a more comfortable atmosphere with an industrial type feel and decor,” he added. “The club will have a very different look to those who had been in Core before it closed.”
Five large flat-screen televisions have been installed, seating has been added and the dance area has been enlarged. A stage has been added for live bands.
Zumpella and Safarek are lifelong friends from Struthers. Zumpella, who is Internet sales and marketing director for Golf Headquarters in Boardman, will focus on promotions and marketing at the new club. Safarek is general manager of Fat E’s Restaurant in Eastwood Mall, and has also worked for South Bridge Billiards and the Cellar in Struthers, and for Eric Ryan Productions. He will specialize in booking and day-to-day management.
By opening its doors Wednesday night, Downtown 36 will take advantage of one of the biggest bar-business nights of the year: Thanksgiving eve, when college students and others home for the holidays swell the crowds of pre-holiday revelers.
A DJ has been scheduled for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, said Zumpella.
The co-owners are proud to be part of the downtown nightlife scene; that’s why they incorporated “Downtown” into the name. The “36” comes from the street address — 36 W. Federal St.
“We wanted a simple, straight-to-the-point name, and as downtown Youngstown continues to improve and grow, we wanted to stress that concept. Also the nightclub will have an industrial type decor, so ‘Downtown’ just fit perfectly,” said Zumpella — who realizes that club-hoppers will probably just tag it “36” or “DT36” or some other abbreviated version.
The economy may be in the gutter, but Zumpella and Safarek aren’t worried about opening a business. In fact, they feel that history is on their side.
“We are both young men, but after hearing some good old-fashioned stories from our grandparents, who lived during the Great Depression, [we realized] the bar business is one of very few recession-proof businesses,” said Zumpella.
XDowntown 36 will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 p.m until closing time.