By Lauri Lee
Northside News

Reconstruction has been underway for months, but now Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge is set to open sometime in October if the construction timeline stays on target. The lounge is a partnership  and the merging of talents of Matt Gerding (former co-owner of Majestic Theatre and FPC Live), his wife Tori Gerding (owner of Ancora Café + Bakery, three Madison locations), and Evan Dannells (owner and executive chef of Cadre on the near westside). Lola’s is moving to 617 N. Sherman Ave., the space formerly occupied by Jacobson Bros. Meats and Deli, and Custom Cobbler’s Heel and Sole Connection in the Lakewood Plaza on Madison’s Northside.

The name of Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge was inspired by Lola Otto, the 87-year-old owner of Lola’s Tom Cat Lounge, a throwback cocktail lounge in St. Nazianz, Wis. the area where Tori Gerding was raised. The Gerdings love Lola and her lounge so much they’re naming the new establishment after her.

The concept of Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge is a vinyl bar meets cocktail bar with a charming and fresh Midwestern twist that incorporates vinyl’s high-fidelity sound. The aim is to create a welcoming space that caters to music enthusiasts, cocktail aficionados and all members of the Madison community. The vibe is a 1960s-style cocktail lounge with a comfortable ambiance and approachable, but interesting, tavern food. The establishment aims to have broad appeal to people in their 50s, 60s and 70s who have nostalgia for 1960s-era cocktail lounges but with a fresh enough twist to attract younger generations as well.

The brand concept of Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge is to provide high-end options for food and beverages while also offering approachable and affordable choices. The beverage selection will range from retro cans of beer such as Pabst and Hamm’s to local craft beer and also feature cocktails like the  Manhattan and Tom Collins.

The menu will feature fresh, locally sourced ingredients and include their house-made signature dish of cracker crust pizza, dumplings, noodles, burgers and a Friday night fish fry.

“We want the menu to feature affordable options and the atmosphere to be comfortable so that folks from all walks of life and from neighborhoods across the Northside will enjoy patronizing the establishment,” said Matt Gerding.

The interior of Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge will span 3,200 square feet and accommodate 95 guests inside, with a seasonal sidewalk patio.

The 1960s inspired design will start before customers even step in the door. “We’re excited about our signage, which is reminiscent of a vintage neon sign that signals what is waiting inside. Our objective has been to create a unique and timeless space evoking a sense of nostalgia that wows the customer as they walk through the door. Through attention to every detail that carries out the 1960s theme, the goal is for them to be immediately struck by the sense of warmth, enjoyable music, incredible sound, the lighting, furnishings and of course, the aroma of elevated tavern food,” Gerding said.

The decor will feature warm color tones, a wooden bar, wood tables and upholstered booths and light fixtures and carpet characteristic of the era. Music, especially classic jazz and soul, is a central theme at Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge which will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy great music while they eat, drink and socialize in a space that has been acoustically treated to offer great sound.

Matt and Tori Gerding have lived for seven years in Maple Bluff across North Sherman Avenue from Ancora Café and Bakery and Lola’s. “Our hope is that Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge will deepen the sense of community enjoyed on the Northside and enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood. The decision to open a lounge at this location has been driven by our familiarity with the neighborhood and observation of a need for more restaurants and bars that provide nightlife in the area. Our intention was to create something unique and timeless to draw folks from across the city to the Northside and make Lola’s a destination location that will energize the community,” Gerding said.

Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge will be open from 3 pm to midnight Sunday through Thursday and from 3 pm to 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit lolasmadison.com.

Please join me in welcoming them to the neighborhood.