Howling again: Lobo Theater gets new life
For the past few decades Nob Hill’s Lobo Theater has served as a venue for local churches, but soon it will be getting new life as an event center and lounge.
The newly named Lobo Lounge and Event Center, at 3013 Central NE, is slated to open mid-August, according to owner J. Richard Rivas.
“This is something not only Nob Hill needs, but (also) Albuquerque and New Mexico,” he said. “... The foot traffic that we’ll be able to draw will only help all the venues that are around there, from restaurants to clothing stores to all the local little places that suffered through (installation of Albuquerque Rapid Transit) and COVID.”
Rivas said the lounge will feature drinks and decor ripped from the ’40s-like crushed velvet seating, chandelier lighting and a cocktail menu with Manhattans and martinis.
For food, Rivas said he is planning to work with nearby restaurants on a contract basis to expand the food selection, but menu items could include crème brûlée, sushi and Caesar salad.
Music will also be central to the operations with plans to host many live shows inside the 550-person theater space.
Rivas said he hopes to host several series of music with genres ranging from blues to jazz to country, and a recurring jam-style performance featuring an outside artist and local musicians.
Though the event center will regularly feature music, the lounge portion will stay open even on days without performances.
Rivas said hiring is still underway and he expects to have a staff of 25 to 30.
Stretch it out
StretchLab, a one-on-one personal stretching business, is set to open at Winrock Town Center at 2100 Louisiana NE this September.
General manager Jasmine Ziska said the business is designed for anyone, and not just those looking to prevent injuries after working out.
“StretchLabs is definitely not just for before or after working out, it’s essentially to give people the freedom in their bodies so that they can be more of whatever it is that they love to do,” she said.
Unlike yoga classes, which are often taught to large groups of people, Stretchlab specializes in one-on-one sessions where clients are paired with a trained employee to be personally stretched for 35- or 50-minute sessions, Ziska said.
All employees, or “flexologists,” come from wellness backgrounds like personal training, exercise science, massage therapy or yoga and every employee takes 70 hours in training before assisting with stretches, she said.
Prior to a session, Ziska said clients are scanned using a 3D body scanning tool that measures mobility, posture and symmetry.
“We take that information that our software gives and then we combine it with what your goals are to create sessions for you so that you get maximum results,” she said.
Sessions are offered on a membership basis ranging from four to eight times a month in either 35 or 50 minute increments.
“Because New Mexico doesn’t have anything like this a lot of people are asking like, ‘Oh, what time are classes,’” Ziska said. “And it’s not a class, it’s not a group, it’s just one-on-one, every session is customized.”
Ziska declined to give a range of prices for the services, but she said that the company offers a special introductory offer for a $49 single 50-minute session.
Though StretchLabs won’t be opening until the fall, Ziska said the company is planning on hosting several pop-up events around Albuquerque with complimentary stretches this summer.
For more information visit stretchlab.com or call 505-4206967.
Bashas’ adds NM store
Bashas’ is adding a second New Mexico location with the opening of Bashas’ Diné Market in Shiprock on July 21, according to the company.
The new location, at U.S. Route 491 and U.S. Highway 64, will be converted from the current 42,108-square-foot City Market. The City Market will close July 19 and Bashas’ will open two days later, according to a spokeswoman for the grocery store.
“This is a great partnership between the Navajo Nation and Bashas’ that will benefit Shiprock and surrounding communities,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in a statement announcing the opening. “... With this new venture, we want to continue providing more healthy food and beverage options for our people to empower them to embrace healthy and active living to combat diabetes and other health issues.”
‘Be Kind’ campaign
The New Mexico Hospitality Association, the New Mexico Restaurant Association and the Jennifer Riordan Foundation have partnered to encourage the public to be kind to service workers with the “Be Kind” campaign.
The campaign offers tips to customers like treating others as you would like to be treated, tipping generously, planning ahead for potentially slower service and using compassion, according to a news release announcing the campaign.
“We’re excited to see our hospitality and tourism businesses opened again, many of which are bringing new employees on board without much time to train,” NMHA CEO, Kathy Komoll said.
For the campaign, the NMHA and the NMRA are putting together materials for member businesses to help customers manage their expectations with service and wait times.