The Minneapolis nightlife scene is about to get a new name: The Exchange Nightclub and Alibi Lounge officially opened their doors Aug. 1 to those looking for an evening out.
Located on the corner of Hennepin Avenue and Fifth Street in Downtown Minneapolis, the dual nightclub and upscale bar boast a sophisticated experience that caters to visitors looking for a more seasoned night on the town—at least that’s the hope of the club’s owners.
With the nightclub and bar underneath the Lumber Exchange Building, the new club celebrates a mixture of its location’s historic past with the technology of the present. The venue highlights the buildings original limestone walls, marble floors and former bathtubs that were discovered during renovations.
“As we built out our venue upon the foundation of the Lumber Exchange Building we uncovered the original marble floors and sunken pool areas from the building’s past to which we have added modern technology and design to create an incredible experience for our guests,” said owner Deepak Nath.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE EXCHANGE NIGHTCLUB AND ALIBI LOUNGE
As for the present, The Exchange Nightclub will feature a selection of unique drinks and classic cocktails along with a custom sound and lighting system, a jellyfish tank and Funktion-one EVO speakers for DJs to spin on—the first to be installed in North America after their success in London and Paris. Along with the historic renovations, the nightclub promises an “exceptional” ladies room with full-length mirrors and complementary products.
But the special treat that comes with The Exchange Nightclub is their smaller bar-within-a-bar, Alibi Lounge. The trendy cocktail lounge is the mixing grounds for head bartender Thomas Iniguez with a menu of classic drinks made with organic and GMO-free cold pressed juices and local spirits. The “Mole Manhattan” with cayenne pepper, shaved milk chocolate, cinnamon and a luxardo cherry, putting a Mexican twist on the classic Manhattan, and the “A Lovely Exchange” with cold press strawberry, peach and lemon juice are two signature drinks featured on the menu.
The bar will also offer a dinner menu of small plates with a heavy seafood focus, with oysters and stone crab claws as some of the fare.
The truly curious part of this new lounge is where Alibi gets its name. The idea was based off a crime story in 1935, where the notorious Minneapolis gangster Kid Cann was accused of killing The Minneapolis Star newspaper editor Walter Liggett. To avoid murder charges, Cann used a barbershop in the Lumber Exchange Building’s basement as an alibi when questioned by the police, inspiring this new bar’s name Alibi.
Promising sexy and sophisticated, both locations will be open throughout the week with The Exchange open Thursday through Saturday and Alibi open Tuesday through Saturday. To reserve a table or find out more visit The Exchange website.
BY KELCIE MCKENNEY, Minnesota Monthly