The new Downtown lounge Noir Columbus, in a former shoe warehouse at 15 W. Cherry St., is now open.

Friends and business partners Dravon Tyson, Michael Towns and Kashif Smiley co-own the new nightspot, and all have backgrounds in the financial services industry. Tyson, who put together the business plan, met Towns while working at Huntington National Bank and Smiley through their fraternity.

They found what they felt was the perfect spot on West Cherry Street. The nearly 4,000-square-foot space sits on the bottom floor of a warehouse that was built to store inventory for the adjacent Julian shoe factory (now apartments) in the 1950s and has since hosted a yoga studio and theater.

After receiving funding through the small-business lender Economic Community Development Institute (ECDI), the group began to renovate the space in June. The lounge has a capacity of 140 people.

"We had to get a floor level, new plumbing, new electrical, it's really creating an entirely new space," said Towns in August. "The concept is really to bring what we like to say is 'big city vibes' to Columbus. I think the way that we're growing, the diverse culture that Columbus has been starting to provide is extremely important to us."

While Noir's owners originally had their sights set on a rooftop bar, the attached garage door on the bottom floor will allow both an additional entrance and an "outdoor feel" during warmer months, they said. A new glass garage door is expected to be installed soon.

Despite some construction delays, the lounge opened Sept. 30.

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Towns said the focus of the space is an "upscale" aesthetic that appeals to Columbus' young professionals, though it will also host game days and events. The space also features "Instagrammable" moments, including a mural by Columbus artist Roger Brackins and a faux greenery wall with a neon sign that says "One Night in Noir."

Noir features happy hours, bottle service, VIP sections, TVs, and space for live music and DJs. The lounge will soon lease a food truck, but as of now, lets guests bring in their own food. Happy hour takes place from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, featuring $5 shots and $8 cocktails.

The lounge is open Thursdays, 4 p.m. to midnight, Fridays, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturdays, noon to 2 a.m. and Sundays noon to midnight. The lounge exclusively hosts private events Monday through Wednesday.

tmoorman@dispatch.com

@TaijuanNichole

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: New lounge Noir Columbus now open for happy hour, Instagram moments