As the weather cools and Wausau’s patio season winds down, residents have a new indoor space to grab a cocktail, catch a stand-up comedy set or unwind to live piano jazz. The Westsider Lounge, opening directly next to the Westsider Diner, is stepping in to fill a unique entertainment niche on the city’s northwest side starting this week.
It’s the latest venture from Tyler Vogt, the Westsider Diner owner who previously ran Malarkey’s, Townies Grill, Rib Mountain Taphouse and the Ugly Mug coffee shop.
“They all had a lot of personality — and very different from one another,” Vogt said.
Vogt is something of a serial entrepreneur, always looking to fill a new niche in the Wausau area.
“I like to build things,” he said. “I get kind of inspired by using up every little area of a space and doing something kind of interesting with it and just imagining what could be there.”
The Westsider Lounge is Vogt’s most recent project using that line of thinking. It’s built out of a storefront that directly connects to the Westsider Diner. Vogt has been sitting on the property for a little while, deciding just how to do something worthwhile with that space.
“When I was interested in the diner, all these things came with it, so it just created more opportunities to be creative,” he said.
Vogt finally took the step in making the lounge part of the business a reality after finding success in the expanded seating options at the Westsider’s outdoor parklet this summer. As the weather cools and the outdoor space closes, the lounge will be a new dedicated space for the additional staff and diners the parklet accommodated.
“We brought on more crew and we expanded our menu considerably,” Vogt said, following the success of the outdoor area. “Obviously when the weather changes, we’re going to lose all those seats outside. Where do those people go when they’re waiting for something to eat or to come into the diner? We figured we could bring them over here, and it gives a place for my staff to continue working.”
Through the fall, winter and spring, Friday nights at the Westsider will feature a pianist in the lounge, where people can sit, listen and get drinks and appetizers (with no cover charge).
“Every week is a different artist,” Vogt said. “Some focus on pop and sing-alongs, some focus on jazz and instrumental, some have originals they’ve done. So whenever you show up on a Friday, it’s going to be different each time. And it really showcases a lot of talent from around Wausau.”
Other nights there will be ticketed events, like live music and comedy acts. The Westsider is working with Next Stop Comedy, a national stand-up talent agency, to bring comedians into the lounge once a month.
The first show is Thursday, Sept. 24, featuring Trevor Anderson, Matt Torkelson and Luis Uz. The 7 p.m. show sold out quickly, so a second 9 p.m. show was added.
“Clearly there’s an appetite for this in the area,” Vogt said. “I’m hoping to kind of create a date night vibe on Thursday nights here, where if you want to come down and see comedy, great. If you want to see a jazz concert, great.”
But the Westsider Lounge isn’t just dedicated to comedy and live music. Vogt envisions it as a multi-use space that will host art workshops ranging from oil and watercolor painting to plant propagation, wreath-making and floral arrangement classes.
“I already met all kinds of people that want to help with those things,” Vogt said.
Vogt is also looking into offering special art workshops for kids, as well as programs where seniors could come in for breakfast and an art class.
“This place will be able to be a lot of different things. On top of that we can do our wine tastings, our murder mystery nights, our piano bar nights, our house concerts, our poetry — we can do live art; anything that we just need a smaller group of about 60 people to be able to participate in or watch. I think that there’s a need for it. I don’t see something else doing this in town.”
Next summer, when outdoor dining returns, Vogt plans to open up the lounge as a rental space on Fridays for gatherings like wedding rehearsal dinners. A catering kitchen was built as part of the new renovation to accommodate such gatherings.
To complement the new entertainment lineup, the Westsider Diner is extending its hours to midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Whether patrons are stepping out of a sold-out comedy show or chatting with new acquaintances after a painting workshop, Vogt’s ultimate goal is simple: to give the neighborhood a comfortable, dynamic place to stay a while.
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