Neighborhood's newest lounge opens on Forsyth Street

News

by Max Marbut

Staff Writer

It has been in the making for more than a year and under serious construction for four months and this evening, Downtown’s latest addition to nightlife opens its doors for the first time.

Dos Gatos is on Forsyth Street directly across from the Florida Theatre. Partners, managers and bartenders Jason and Joy Albertelli are nightclub veterans with venues in Los Angeles and Jacksonville on their resumes. When the couple left Southern California to return to Jason’s hometown, they began looking for the right location to open a club. The first step was to decide which area would be best and the urban core was the winner.

“We believe in the vibrancy of Downtown,” said Jason Albertelli. “There are so many great buildings that could become clubs and restaurants.”

While the exterior of the building is unchanged and still looks like it might be the home of a ballet troupe, the interior was completely demolished all the way to the building’s brick walls. That shell has been replaced by a decor that’s unique to Downtown. When it was suggested that it’s a mixture of New Orleans and New York City, Albertelli pointed out those are two pretty good models, but not exactly the concept driving the decor.

“We wanted to create something that’s unlike what people have ever seen here before. We were going for a sexy, lush look with a lot of textures. We also wanted to pull some of Jacksonville’s Spanish and French history out of the design, but subtly,” he added.

The bar runs the length of the room closest to the street. Behind the bar is exposed brick and some art that was discovered during the demolition. The opposite wall is decorated with ornate wall covering and overhead there’s a hammered tin ceiling lit by several wall fixtures and lights beneath the bar. In back there’s another room with a DJ booth and a small stage and furniture that can be easily moved to adapt to the whims of patrons. The wood-slat ceiling is reminiscent of the inside of a barrel.

As for the drinks, the couple said the menu is designed around classic concoctions plus traditional favorites. They’ll also be introducing a series of signature selections that can become permanent fixtures if they’re a hit with customers.

“Putting some flavored vodka in a martini glass does not make a cocktail. A lot of what we do is very old-school,” said Jason Albertelli.

You’ll also find both of the partners behind the bar mixing drinks. Joy Albertelli said she was inspired to learn the art of mixology when she was working in a restaurant and for the first time watched a bartender make an Old Fashioned.

“It just comes naturally to me and tending bar is a skilled trade. It’s much more than making a rum and Coke,” she said.

Dos Gatos opens tonight and there will be what the Albertellis described as a “proper grand opening” next Friday. They’re also developing special promotions like “cheap date night” when they’ll show a movie and make popcorn in the back room.

“Our goal is to be great hosts who make great drinks,” said Jason Albertelli. “We want to make sure when people leave Dos Gatos at the end of their evening, they’re thinking about what a great time they had and how they’d like to come back again.”

For the latest updates visit www.dosgatosjax.com.