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by MARY ELIZABETH ROBERTSON
Intern News Reporter
A new addition is coming to the Town of Boone.
Koncepts Hookah Lounge is set to open at the intersection of King Street and Water Street across from the Watauga County Courthouse by the end of October.
The bar will add to Boone’s list of attractions.
 Business partner Jessie F. Kellogg enjoys a hookah session among the hookahs that will soon adorn the tables of their new hookah lounge, Koncepts, on West King Street. Photo by James Fay |
“I do know [hookah
bars are in] some other college towns; to me it wouldn’t be any worse
than a cigar bar,” Town Council member Stephen Phillips said. “I don’t
think this has anything to do with the mixed beverages referendum, I
think this has already been planned out. They have been looking at this
over the course of the summer.”
The
building plan began in January when sophomore hospitality and tourism
management major Jesse F. Kellogg decided to open up a hookah lounge.
Kellogg, along with best friend and business partner Connor McGrath, went to work on creating Boone’s newest attraction.
The idea
was first to replace Dixie’s Cleaners on Howard Street, however,
building development plans called for the move to the location across
from the courthouse, McGrath said.
“I love hookah and I’m really excited about Boone’s music scene and to open your own business is pretty cool,” McGrath said.
Brett M. Cerrato, junior special education major said he believes students will enjoy the hookah lounge.
“Especially
since the new liquor laws [are in place], people who aren’t 21 and
don’t have a fake ID, will go to the hookah bar as their alternate form
of entertainment,” he said.
Kellogg and McGrath said they hope the hookah lounge will bring more variety to the Appalachian community.
“I hope
it brings a little bit of culture and socialization for college kids,
the concept of Koncepts is a place for relaxation and socialization
among college students who enjoy hookah,” Kellogg said.
He said he wants visitors to be comfortable while they are taking time out of their day for hookah.
The lounge will offer a “nice, chill place, very ‘loungey,’” Kellogg said.
The
lounge will begin by offering Jones Soda and other gourmet drinks with
hopes of later enlarging their selection to coffee and pastries.
The lounge will also include sofas, chairs, magazine subscriptions, books and other items to complete the hookah experience.
The
Gold, Green and 105 AppalCART routes make stops right in front of the
store. Wednesday nights will be “open mic night” and local music will
be played.
Koncepts
Hookah Lounge will open in late October, and business hours will be
from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. with hopes of expanding hours later on.
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