After four months of remodeling, Cookeville’s new nightclub was met with anxious goers, hip-hop hits and a full dance floor on Thursday, Sept. 24.
Club Lava opened its doors to around 1,500 people with an entire new remodel from the old Rodeo Bobs.
“Lava is like a fire. People get hyper and want to go crazy,” said club owner Kero Yacoub. “I’ve been to a club in New York called Lava Night Club, and it’s crazy. I just wanted something like that. We are going for a nightclub theme.”
The club features a new dance floor, remodeled bars and a heated and cooled smoking room. A new VIP booth offers couches, a personal server and a free first bottle of liquor.
Other features have made an impact on people flow and traffic. The new bar allows guests to have more mobility and less traffic compared to Rodeo Bobs. There are now two entrances to increase flow and allow security more management. One entrance is for ages 21 and up and another for under 21.
Club Lava will offer special deals, including beer and liquor special and ladies’ nights. Yacoub said there would hopefully be more specials in the near future.
“Sooner or later we will have concerts, like Juicy J, other bands and stuff like that,” said Yacoub.
Although Yacoub’s new lava-themed nightclub features many New York and hip-hop elements, some individuals seem to miss the country feel of Rodeo Bobs.
“I was upset with Club Lava, because they said they would play country until, a niche genre found, literally one and a half songs were played,” said Chelsey James, junior agriculture business major at Tennessee Tech. “I feel like that was just a slap in the face considering everyone that showed up early was expecting there to be country played. I understand that they don’t want to be like Rodeo Bobs, but they should give their customers what they want or it will not be successful.”
Yacoub said there would be some line dancing and country music, because it is a country town.
The club owner has been around night clubs in Nashville for six years and owns two other hookah bars in town. His theme may not be what some individuals were hoping for, but only time will tell.
Employees at the new venue were optimistic after the club’s first appearance.
“It was good. Customers were generally happy,” said bartender Rachel Kolodziej. “I think people are excited to have somewhere to go and dance.”
