A new nightclub will soon open in the former Cactus Jacks location downtown, with the owners of the Blue Grotto reinventing a classic downtown nightlife destination.<\/p>\n
Grotto owners David \"Pup\" Johnston and Sherri King are behind the venture at Lansdowne Street and Fifth Avenue.<\/p>\n
King said she wants to create a safe and fun environment.<\/p>\n
\"We have such a diverse community and I'd like to expand on that,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The new club, called Nightshift on Fifth, will be a bit different from CJs, turning to the Top 40 charts for nightly music and holding special culture-inspired events like Desi and Latino nights, appealing to international students attending Thompson Rivers University.<\/p>\n
King said the club will have an industrial steampunk theme.<\/p>\n
Johnston said the venture came about quickly, with the couple taking over the lease of the building and opening in a matter of months. The hope is to open at the end of August. With a liquor licence and the lease signed, all that's left to do is some remodelling including a new sign and a revamped interior.<\/p>\n
\"Kamloops is a little bit of an industrial town, so it's going to be kind of industrial, or steam punk, inside,\" Johnston said.<\/p>\n
Johnston said he was approached a few times to take over the lease, but wasn't interested until recently, with nightlife returning and venues open without interruption.<\/p>\n
\"Not to sound altruistic, but I don't know if we're really doing this for us. I think we're doing this for Kamloops, he said. Not trying to pump my own tires, but there's a larger population moving into the downtown core and there's a lack of diverse nightlife here.<\/p>\n
The Blue Grotto, just two blocks away at 319 Victoria St., is an age 21-plus club that focuses on live music mostly rock 'n' roll. The new club will cater to a slightly younger crowd, down to B.C.'s legal drinking age of 19.<\/p>\n
Trying not to focus on hip-hop, rap and trance, Johnston said the club will rely on a house DJ playing pop music. He said other clubs, such as the Commodore at 369 Victoria St., may cater to other types of music.<\/p>\n
Johnston said he's not trying to step on anyone's toes with the move.<\/p>\n
\"We've had a great working relationship for, well ... the Grotto has been here for 17 years and I've had it for almost five,\" Johnston said, adding that he and his wife have a combined 55 years in the nightlife industry.<\/p>\n
\"Losing the previous owner, that was a major blow for that name, for that Cactus Jacks brand. You can't recapture the lightning in a bottle that was Rob Medves,\" Johnston told KTW.<\/p>\n
Medves owned the club until his death in 2015. The club continued to operate until 2018, when it was set to close before Jordan Landry stepped in.<\/p>\n
The attempt to revive Cactus Jacks proved to be too much once the pandemic arrived.<\/p>\n
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Read more here:<\/p>\n
Blue Grotto owners to open nightclub in former Cactus Jack's location - Kamloops This Week<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A new nightclub will soon open in the former Cactus Jacks location downtown, with the owners of the Blue Grotto reinventing a classic downtown nightlife destination. Grotto owners David \"Pup\" Johnston and Sherri King are behind the venture at Lansdowne Street and Fifth Avenue. King said she wants to create a safe and fun environment. Continue reading