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The Cairo Lounge Hookah Bar, which has been open since early March, is Radford's first hookah lounge and the first business of RU senior Chris Lusby. Lusby started Cairo after plans to renovate and open a nightclub in Radford with several other business partners fell through due to financial issues. Cairo has so far served as a hip and profitable location, drawing crowds from both the university community and, surprisingly enough, local high school students. Lusby explained that, "College students go out drinking at parties and clubs, but high school students don't have alot to do around Radford."
This makes Cairo a hot spot for local high school students age 18 and older. Though Cairo is the only hookah lounge in Radford, it isn't the only establishment like this in the area. Shisha, located in nearby Blacksburg, offers the same experience of hookah smoking, but with one glance, you'll notice a sharp difference in both the atmosphere and look. The feedback given by clients of the Cairo Lounge has had an influence on Lusby's choice of decoration and overall theme of the lounge. According to Lusby, much of the current patrons at Cairo aren't used to the more traditional feel of a Middle Eastern hookah bar, which usually includes: Arabic music, Middle Eastern style food, tables and murals, as well as a café kind of setting, which is more closely embraced by Shisha. Chris instead has aimed for a medium between Middle Eastern flair and college bar atmosphere featuring hints of Arabic culture while offering pool tables, DJ nights and a dance floor.
According to Lusby, business at Cairo took off after its opening in March and died down significantly following spring break, with significant boosts in business with live music events. Cairo is currently hosting live music events on the weekends, with DJ Phil Bloxam playing every Friday night and rock bands regularly performing on the Cairo stage. Though Cairo is off and running, Lusby has several plans for the future of the lounge, including: obtaining a beer license, painting murals and hanging artwork on the walls, adding couches for more of a relaxed lounge feel, and the possibility of constructing a 'Tiki area' onto the back of Cairo to offer customers a place to relax and smoke in the open air.
Lusby's love of hookahs and hookah culture stems from his youth spent frequenting hookah bars in Northern Virginia like Prince, Oasis, Cairo Café and many others, as well as visits to Turkey, where he got to a chance to view a more traditional authentic hookah lounge setting. With his knowledge of the culture and tradition of the hookah, paired with his desire to provide an alternative nightlife location to Radford residents and students, Lusby has created a truly unique experience in Radford where the fragrant smoke of the Middle East meets the college nightlife.
Grant brandishes his broadsword in public.
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