Lulu’s music venue finds new home in Colorado Springs
Lulu’s Downstairs is moving up some floors — and becoming Lulu’s Downtown.
The entertainment venue, which announced it would be closing its location in Manitou Springs last week, will be moving into the space formerly occupied by Studio 32 Discotheque on the second floor of 32 S. Tejon St. The Baldwin Cohn Group, which owns the downtown Colorado Springs building, confirmed the move.
“I’m super-duper excited,” said Lulu’s owner Marc Benning. “I think to be downtown will be really nice, just to be around people and energy. I think it’s a really easy location for the entirety of the community to get to.”
As for Studio 32 Discotheque, a Studio 54-inspired nightclub that opened in January of last year, it has closed its doors, the Baldwin Cohn Group confirmed. The Gazette reached out to Studio 32 Discotheque, but was unable to connect to the owner for comment .
Lulu’s new location is set to open in the coming weeks, with Bennings hoping to debut the space as soon as possible. The venue is right above Mexican restaurant Illegal Pete’s, which has plans to open in April after two years of delays.
The live music, comedy and entertainment venue is currently offering refunds for shows during this transition period. Several shows in the coming weeks will be relocated, including Martin Sexton, who will now be performing at The Ent Center on Saturday, as well as Dopapod and Sicard Hollow, who will now be performing at The Black Sheep next Wednesday. Relocated shows are still eligible for refunds, Benning said.
“If someone doesn’t want to go to a show at a certain location, or for some reason that doesn’t work out, people can get refunds,” Benning said.
Lulu’s Downstairs was located in the historic Greenlight District of Manitou, and is known for hosting touring musicians and shows. Benning opened Lulu’s in July 2019, bringing life back into the location of the once-thriving Castaways restaurant, which had remained mostly vacant during the 2000s.
The site serviced two bars and a kitchen, and was popular for its retro-style, with dozens of thrifted art pieces and bright red leather chairs — an aesthetic Benning hopes to capture at the new location, too.
“I created Lulu’s from my aesthetic, so it’ll have kind of the same vibe. It’s a different room so it’ll feel different, but same idea,” Benning said.
Lulu’s Downtown will soon be above the incoming Illegal Pete’s, the Denver-area restaurant known for its Mission-style burritos, at 32 S. Tejon St. in downtown Colorado Springs.
Shelbie White talks with customers at the bar of Lulu’s Upstairs in Manitou Springs on Thursday, May 20, 2021. Owner Marc Benning had to close the doors to Lulu’s Downstairs just seven months after opening due to the pandemic. During the pandemic, Benning renovated the upstairs and added a smaller stage for entertainment. (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)
Owner Marc Benning reopens Lulu’s Upstairs in Manitou Springs on Thursday, May 20, 2021. Benning had to close the doors to Lulu’s Downstairs just seven months after opening due to the pandemic. During the pandemic, Benning renovated the upstairs and added a smaller stage for entertainment. Lulu’s Upstairs officially reopened on May 20. (Chancey Bush/ The Gazette)
Owner Marc Benning sits on the empty stage at Lulu’s Downstairs in Manitou Springs.
The upstairs portion of Lulu’s Downstairs in Manitou Springs opened this month.
Lulu’s Downstairs is expected to partially reopen in late April.
Lulu’s Downstairs in Manitou Springs is among music venues not able to put on shows for the time being due to the coronavirus outbreak.