Devotees of piano man and cabaret performer Jimmy Martin will be delighted to learn that his late, lamented nightclub, Ivories, gets a rebirth this summer. An opening in the former Carver’s space in the downtown Minneapolis Hilton Hotel is planned for July.
Ivories gained a loyal following from 1991 to 2000 at its original location at highways 169 and 55 in Plymouth. Martin has been performing locally (a regular spot has been The Times in Minneapolis) and touring since then.
“For those who have been asking us to bring back Ivories, this is the best possible result,” Martin says. With extensive parking, Orchestra Hall and other entertainment venues nearby, and hotel guests stopping in, he expects old regulars to be joined by a large new audience.
Ivories will serve “small plates” and drinks in both a casual bar out front and in the nightclub, where the grand piano sits center stage. “Folks can stop in before their concert, the movies, or the theater and have a bite and a drink, then come back later for more food and the cabaret show. We’re even bringing back some older drink favorites,” Martin says, “the stinger, the old-fashioned, and the rusty nail.”
