Sacramento restaurateur Randy Paragary is pulling the plug on his downtown Sacramento Cosmo Cafe, closing the place Dec. 17 with plans to reopen it 60 days later as a Cafe Bernardo.
The upscale eatery and bar opened three years ago, at 10th and K, with the goal of serving patrons of the adjacent Cosmopolitan Cabaret.
But, Paragary says, the cabaret crowd was too limited – and Cosmo didn't "resonate" with the younger people drawn recently to nearby clubs and bars.
"The late-night scene is thriving there," he says, referring to the "Mermaid Bar" complex up the street and his own Social nightclub above Cosmo. But people attending those locales "just walk by our door as if we were closed," he says.
Paragary hopes to do much better with Cafe Bernardo, his lower-priced, counter-style restaurant and bar concept that's doing well at three other Sacramento-area locations.
As part of a major space renovation, Paragary plans to divide the current open- floor plan into two sections – one for dining, the other for a "cozier" bar.
In his 40-year hospitality career, Paragary has never been reluctant to abandon concepts that don't work. Among the brands he's launched and later replaced: Lord Beaverbrook's, Sammy Chu's, Icon and The Arbor.
"It's part of the business," Paragary says of making changes on the fly. "You have to be nimble."
Crooning on K Street
Finally, a karaoke bar for the bashful.
That's the idea behind Heartbeat KTV Lounge, opening next year above the Cosmopolitan Cabaret at 10th and K.
Owner Joe Zheng knows that lots of shy people "don't like to sing out in front of others." So his place will have 15 sound-proofed rooms – for rent by the hour – where people can go with friends and family and warble away in relative privacy.
Computer consoles will allow them to choose from as many as 80,000 songs and customize the background music.
Along with karaoke, the owner is touting a "fusion" sushi bar and sit-down dining featuring modern American cuisine. The place is expected to open in April.
So-called "karaoke boxes" are common in a few major cities, and Zheng, 29, has opened successful ones in Manhattan and the Bay Area.
He chose Sacramento for his newest site because he's familiar with the area – he ran a restaurant in Citrus Heights years ago – and he likes the business momentum he's seeing downtown.
Zheng says his new karaoke box will allow people to try out their singing chops, even make recordings, without fear of ridicule.
"Shy people," he says, "can just rent a room and sing along and maybe become the next American Idol. Who knows?"
Space odyssey
Is the state auditor's office making a big move next year?
It's at least considering it, with its lease expiring at 555 Capitol Mall.
Office reps last week sent brokers an email blast saying it needs about 50,000 square feet of contiguous space – preferably in the downtown area.
Spokeswoman Margarita Fernández says the search is a matter of conducting "due diligence to make the best deal … (and) we may stay (and renew at 555), and we may not."
Helping the office in its search is the Sacramento office of CB Richard Ellis.
Few downtown spots, besides 555, meet the office's requirements. Among the contenders: 500 Capitol Mall and 1415 L St.
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