Studio Eighty returns Wednesday night in downtown Fort Worth

Nightclub and restaurant openings often run into delays, making any target date for an opening a little nebulous.

But Studio Eighty said it would return in October and, with lightning efficiency, is making good on that promise with a Wednesday opening. That’s Wednesday, as in Oct. 5, as in today — as I write this, Studio Eighty is hours away from returning. Actually, more like minutes — it opens at 5 p.m. Wednesday at 500 Taylor St.

To recap: In late August, Studio Eighty announced that it would be taking over the Vee Lounge space at the corner of Fifth and Taylor Streets in downtown Fort Worth. It was a bit of a surprise, largely because Vee Lounge had been in operation all the way up to the weekend before the announcement. A mere five weeks after announcing the move, Studio Eighty is opening its doors.

The University Drive location of Studio Eighty, which opened in 2011 in the former Sardine Ristorante Italiano space, was damaged by a fire in April 2016 (the fire was ruled accidental). According to posts on the Studio Eighty Facebook page, attempts were made at rebuilding and reopening. But things changed. The landlord at the original location decided not to rebuild, and sold the property.

According to Studio Eighty’s Facebook page, tonight’s re-opening will feature a Halloween costume fashion show from 9 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, hosted by Gabrielle’s Lingerie Boutique. One of the features of the new location is Fashion Lounge, which will do fashion shows catering exclusively to women from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays.

A grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 19 — and will feature an appearance by former MTV VJ “Downtown” Julie Brown. For updates on the reopening, visit the Studio Eighty Facebook page.

The club is just west of the Tower condo complex, and across from the former Star-Telegram building, where the 25-story Frost Tower is under construction, limiting traffic on Fifth Street. The area is a little to the west of the bulk of the downtown action, and can be a challenge for businesses. Vivo 53, a pizza restaurant in the Tower and within eyesight of Vee Lounge, closed in June in a space that had previously housed other restaurants.

This story was originally published October 5, 2016 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Studio Eighty returns Wednesday night in downtown Fort Worth."