©2019 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Jill Nagy
When the Night Owl, a cocktail lounge and night club in Saratoga Springs, opened Oct. 5, people were lined up in front of its 17 Maple Ave. location, waiting to get inside, recalled owner Matt Pedersen.
“It was a wonderful party, an amazing turnout,” he said.
He described Night Owl as a “cozy cool cocktail lounge,” serving carefully crafted mixed drinks from 7-10 p.m. Then, the DJs arrive and the dancing begins.
The front room is reserved for customers 23 year old and older. A back room hosts drinkers and dancers over the age of 21. At midnight on Saturdays, there is circus entertainment: a contortionist, an aerialist, burlesque dancers, perhaps a sword swallower, in short, “a unique experience,” according to Pedersen.
Pedersen said Saratoga Springs has more than its share of excellent restaurants. He sees Night Owl as answering the question, “Where do we go out after an amazing dinner?”
The Night Owl is in the former Sinclair Saratoga beer garden and game room. It is perhaps best known as the former Metro night spot.
Pedersen purchased the business from Hilary Morrison and spent a month transforming it. The look is retro Hollywood with echoes of mid-20th-century nightclub. Morrison remains involved, assisting with digital marketing. There are 10 employees.
The new club has a capacity of 125-150 people. Pedersen said that the place is “absolutely filling up . . . the place is packed” as a venue for young adults, local people and some older college students.
The Night Owl is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 7 p.m. “until late.” Those are the big nights for after dinner drinking and dancing, the owner said.
The facility will be available for special events on other evenings, including cocktail classes and parties.
The telephone number is (518) 319-2300.