by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
One of Downtown’s most unique spots to get an adult beverage and take in some local performance art is getting a facelift. The Sinclair at 521 W. Forsyth St. will greet the new year with a new look in the bar, some newly-upholstered furniture and a regular weekly lineup featuring a diverse selection of local musicians, spoken word artists and actors.
“It was time for some sprucing up,” said owner Maya Adkins.
In addition to the new furnishings, there is also an improved sound and lighting system being installed, but The Sinclair won’t lose any of the character that put it on Downtown’s entertainment map as soon as it opened last summer.
That the building has character is an understatement. The brick walls, wood floors and exposed beams in the ceiling are all original. It also has quite a bit of history. One of the few structures that survived the Great Fire of 1901, it has previously been a slaughterhouse and for a time was used as a “hotel” during the period when LaVilla was notorious as Jacksonville’s “Red Light District.” More contemporary uses for the building include being the home of “JoAnne’s Chili Bordello” in the 1980s and more recently, the Voodoo Lounge.
Adkins and her co-proprietors went to high school at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and have committed The Sinclair to providing a forum for local performers of all disciplines. The 2010 weekly entertainment schedule is designed to better reflect the artistic community and make its work more accessible to the public.
“We’re turning it into a real showcase,” said Adkins.
Effective Jan. 5, each Tuesday night will be “Open Stage,” said Adkins. It’s a way for performers to try out new material in front of an audience, audition and perhaps make it onto the Friday and Saturday night lineups.
Wednesdays will be reserved for special events including First Wednesday Art Walk each month and “Dr. Sketchy’s” the second Wednesday of each month.
Thursday nights will be reserved for “Speakeasy Night.”
“We’ve established that kind of reputation,” said Adkins. “We’ll have a jazz DJ or mix and we’re also introducing some specialty drinks based on sake and champagne.”
Friday and Saturday nights, three different shows will be on the bill. The early show at 8 p.m. will have a mellow jazz or blues feel. The 9:30 p.m. acts will be based around comedy and live theater. At 11 p.m. a band will take the stage and perform “until everybody gets tired and wants to go home,” said Adkins.
“We’re always looking for ways to stretch outside the box,” she added.
Adkins admits she and her partners had more theater experience than bar management experience the day The Sinclair opened and also said, “It has been a steep learning curve.”
She credits the success of the establishment in a short period of time to “doing something different that appeals to our artists. The Sinclair isn’t a bar with live entertainment, we’re a performance and art venue with a beer and wine license.”
Another part of the 2010 plan is a more aggressive marketing effort. That’s being managed by Access Public Relations, also a Downtown-based business.
Principal John Finotti said while the Sinclair isn’t the agency’s biggest account, “We are Downtown advocates and we can help expose the club and local artists to new demographic groups.”
As for longer-range plans, Adkins said one of the goals for The Sinclair is to develop an after-work crowd that could arrive around 5 p.m. and stick around until the show starts each evening. That will be particularly important when the new County Courthouse opens a short walk from the club.
“We’ll be ready for an influx of attorneys and people who work in law offices,” Adkins predicted.
For the complete schedule as it’s updated visit www.thesinclairjax.com.
Sinclair owner Maya Adkins.
356-2466