THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501170125
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
There hasn't been a live jazz club in downtown Norfolk since the Judge's Chambers closed 10 years ago. But times have changed, and the sound has returned.
On Friday, Pizazz Restaurant and Lounge will open at the corner of Granby and Tazewell streets, just around the block from the Wells Theater. Formerly Shulman's clothing store and then My Place, owner Winferd Sanderlin has rented and remodeled the building into an up-scale, two-floor restaurant and club that will feature live jazz three nights a week.
``There's really no one around Norfolk doing jazz, and I think the market needs it,'' Sanderlin said. ``There are a lot of good artists in the area.''
The site will highlight local acts such as Connie Parker, Good Life, Midnight Love, and TFC The Sound of the Drifters. Bands will be featured primarily on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, except for special engagements. Other times, a DJ will spin a variety of jazz tunes. Dance music will be played late at night, but Sanderlin insists there will be no rap.
``I'm hoping to attract a white-collar, adult crowd,'' he said. ``I'm not going to have any rap, and there will be a dress code after 9 p.m. on the weekends.''
No patchy jeans, tennis shoes or baseball hats will be allowed, Sanderlin said.
The site is designed to appeal to the clientele Sanderlin seeks. About $27,000 and five months of extensive remodeling has yielded not a cramped, shadowed retreat but a roomy, bright showplace.
The first floor is the dining area. Done in a mauve color scheme, with high ceilings, chandeliers and windows opening to Granby Street, the look is fashionable and fresh. The fare consists of a daily luncheon buffet and salad bar, and a dinner menu of contemporary American dishes such as beef, pasta and seafood. Prices range from $5 for the buffet to $8 for an entree.
The second level, accessed by elevator or stairs, hosts the live music scene. The slightly elevated stage is surrounded by mirrors and flanked by a loose arrangement of tables for two. In the back of the room is a recessed bar of faux marble. Crystal lamps from the old Smith and Welton building hang along the walls. With a capacity of about 150, the space offers ample elbow room while still being intimate. Cover charges will range from $3 to $5.
There is also a third floor, but it is in disrepair. Sanderlin plans to renovate it this spring and feature national jazz acts there by summer.
While other Norfolk establishments offer jazz, notably Bienville Grill on 21st Street, Sanderlin hopes to land a niche in downtown Norfolk.
``The time is right,'' he explained. ``In a couple of years I think Granby Street will be making a big comeback, maybe like the 1950s and '60s.''
Mike Cavish, who opened the Judge's Chambers on Monticello Avenue in 1978 and who brought in several big jazz acts, including the nationally known Pat Metheny Group, says he believes there is a demand for live jazz downtown.
``People ask me when I'm going to do some jazz,'' said Cavish, who now owns Fellini's Restaurant on 21st Street. ``I think it will be well-received if the guy is a good operator.''
Sanderlin, 51, has been in the club business for 20 years. A Chesapeake resident, he owned Raphael's Restaurant and Lounge on Granby Street from the mid-1970s through the mid-'80s. He then opened Raphael's in Chesapeake, where he occasionally featured the Manhattans. For the last five years, however, he has run a Tinee Giant on Azalea Garden Road. He sold the store last year, desiring to return to the restaurant and club trade.
``The convenience store business is kind of rough,'' he said. ``It requires too much inventory capital. I decided to go back into this business. I believe there's a lot of potential for a good jazz spot here.''
Sanderlin said he is one of only a handful of black business owners on downtown Granby Street. He hopes his restaurant will attract both black and white patrons.
``I want to emphasize that I'm not just catering to a black clientele,'' he said. ``We're here for everyone.''
There is one hitch before the club can go into full operation, however. Pizazz's is waiting on a license to serve alcohol. Sanderlin said he is optimistic that the ABC board will have granted him one by the time he opens for lunch Friday.
``I've never had any problems with the ABC board before,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by RICHARD L. DUNSTON
Featuring live jazz three nights a week, Pizazz Restaurant and
Lounge is set to open Friday at the corner of Granby and Tazewell
streets.
Winferd Sanderlin spent about $27,000 to prepare for the
white-collar adults he hopes to attract to the club.
by CNB