The Metro: New upscale lounge The Vinyl Society has Parisian flair with Detroit history in mind

Do you want to pull out your best dress or favorite suit and go out for a night on the town? A new French-inspired bar and lounge situated in the heart of Paradise Valley — with a strict dress code — might be just the place. 

The Vinyl Society is modeled after the thriving nightclub and theater scene in Paradise Valley from the 1920s through the early ’60s — when the historic Black neighborhood was destroyed to make way for the Interstate 375 freeway. The bar’s owner, Dennis Archer Jr., joined The Metro on Wednesday to share more details about the new upscale lounge.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

He says The Vinyl Society was inspired by his international travels, featuring Parisian vibes — but with a Detroit-style flair, commemorating the history and culture of Black Detroiters.

“We wanted to be very intentional about that history,” said Archer. “And so you know, one whole wall is vintage photographs and advertisements from that era for all of the entertainment, hospitality venues and those entrepreneurs from that time.”

The bar and lounge will offer an expansive drink menu, including craft cocktails, a variety of espresso martinis, beer and wine; a small, high-end food menu featuring items like fresh black caviar and charcuterie; desserts, like jumbo “gold-dusted’ strawberries (priced per strawberry); and live music and entertainment spanning multiple genres.

Archer says he wants the location to serve as a hub for Detroiters to gather, listen to music and conduct business. 

“We’ve got a number of people that we’re not ready yet to announce, but jazz performers, opera performers, people from the symphony will be performing,” Archer said. “This is not just about any one genre of music. We’re really just embracing music culture, and we’re also doing a lot of cultural, more intellectual, heavy stuff.”

This includes an upcoming fireside chat with the Secretary of State on July 18.

As far as the dress code, Archer says he wants his guests to dress their best.

“We definitely want people to dress up, feel you know, grown and sexy, and have a good time,” Archer said. “And I think that when the room looks like that and everybody comes like that, I think it just raises the level of feel goodness, if you will, that we’re that we’re trying to share with everyone.”

Use the media player above to hear the full interview with Archer.

More headlines from The Metro on June 26, 2024:

• For the third consecutive year, Michigan hit a record-high recycling rate, putting the state on track to meet its goal of a 30% recycling rate by 2029. But what exactly does a milestone like this mean for Detroiters? How much of a difference does recycling make? What do we do with all the recycled material and what does it mean for Michigan’s environment and economy more broadly? To answer these questions and more, Tracy Purrenhaget, a recycling specialist with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), joined The Metro.

• The Yunion is a Detroit nonprofit offering programs for Detroit youth ages 11-13 with a passion for music and performing arts. The organization offers summer programming with the goal of inspiring and empowering the next generation of performers. They partnered with Wayne State University’s College of Fine Performing and Communications Arts for this year’s dynamic six-week day camp. The program is entering its 11th year, having served more than 1,100 young Detroiters. Darell “Red” Campbell Jr., an award-winning producer, musician, songwriter and educator with The Yunion, joined The Metro to discuss the program.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.