Chapel Hill Night Life Gets a New Element

The high-end club located in the former theater on West Rosemary Street, will hold its grand opening Saturday from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., bringing the first club of its kind to the area.

Angela Connor, front house manager for the club, said the owner named the club "NV," or envy, after one of the seven deadly sins in the movie "Seven."

The club will be open from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Wednesday through Friday from at a cover charge of $6. On Saturday, the hours will be from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. at a cover of $8.

"Saturday will be the big night because it is the more traditional party night," Connor said.

She said the club was modeled after the New York club scene and hopes to attract patrons from the Research Triangle Park area.

"Of course it is for the college age students, but because of the quality, we want to draw in the 30 to 35 crowd," she said.

Connor said the owner, Brent Lee, owned an Internet company in Chapel Hill but traveled to New York frequently. He enjoyed the club scene there and wanted to bring a part of it back to Chapel Hill, she said.

Connor said the club will maintain a formal atmosphere by enforcing a dress code in which jeans and a T-shirt will be considered too casual.

"It's going to be more of a production rather than just people coming to drink," Connor said.

NV features a 42-foot long stainless steel bar, four 7-foot tall leather booths and a VIP area.

The sloped floor of the old theater was entirely leveled after the club owner began construction about a year ago.

Connor said each night will have a different theme, with Wednesday featuring high energy music; Thursday remixes and Top 40 House Music and Friday and Saturday trip hop.

Connor said the club will have two resident DJs to spin every night on a platform above the dance floor.

"They know the vibe that they're creating," she said. "They're really into their music."

Chris Wickman, a UNC senior from Chicago who will DJ at Club NV, said he became interested in the club when he read an article in the newspaper.

"I just called the manager and sent in a demo," Wickman said.

He said he has enjoyed seeing the space change from the old Ram Triple Theatre into the new, sleek Club NV.

Wickman, a chemistry major, said he saw similarities between mixing music and the finite details of chemistry.

"I think they're very similar because they're both so technical," he said.

Wickman said he has had an interest in creating and mixing music since he was young.

"I got turntables before I got keys to a car."

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