Lido's Opens; Owner Hopes for Diversity

Lido's Bar opened Thursday night under a new manager, Chris Coty, a third-year student at the UNC School of Law.

Coty said he hopes the bar will attract diverse crowds by incorporating different themes on different nights.

Coty said he wants to attract some of the same crowd as The Artist's Escape, which was frequented by lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders but closed last spring.

But he added that he wants to attract a different crowd as well.

"Ideally, Lido's will be a place with variety," Coty said.

"For example, I want Tuesday nights to be trivia nights and Wednesday and Friday to be gay nights. There will be other theme nights, but they have not yet been decided."

But Coty emphasized that he does not want to turn people off from the bar just because of the two nights targeting the LGBT community.

"We are trying to attract everyone," Coty said. "I have seen that Gotham has done well with their gay nights, so we are planning to have a pre-party to Gotham."

Coty is running the bar almost single-handedly, with the volunteer assistance of a few friends.

"I will definitely be hiring people soon, but I have some friends helping me out for now," he said.

Coty added that his role at Lido's was impromptu, as he only decided to open the bar a week and a half ago.

The property is owned by Giovanni Caligari, who also owns Trilussa La Trattoria restaurant on Franklin Street.

Coty said Lido's was originally planned as a wine and oyster bar but that Caligari decided against the idea and asked Coty to manage the property as a bar.

"Most of it was set up already, since it was going to be a wine and oyster bar," Coty said.

Coty said the bar was redecorated tastefully but that he does not want people to think it is a formal place.

"I want people to be comfortable here," he said.

"There are two front rooms, a hallway and a back room where there will be separate music and will be the only place where smoking is allowed."

The bar will serve sandwiches, salads and appetizers as well as liquor, beer and wine.

Coty said he will try to host private parties, as well as sorority and fraternity functions, where food will be catered by Trilussa.

Coty said he has found the managing job stressful but exciting and also said the bar's opening was a success.

"Considering my lack of advertising, the opening weekend went very well. Mostly friends came in."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.