By Kathleen Vereen Dayton, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Nov. 3--Gone are the walls of sports memorabilia and overstuffed dining booths shaped like baseball gloves. The former All Star Cafe in Myrtle Beach is being dismantled piece by piece until its bare frame remains.
Plans for a cutting-edge nightclub in its place at U.S. 17 Bypass and 29th Avenue North have been set in motion by a group of young entrepreneurs with a vision for a themed nightspot they say will be like no other.
'This town is not ready for what we're going to throw out,' said Chris Manios, one of four partners in the venture that will turn the former sports-themed restaurant into a nightclub with four bars and a mezzanine.
The make-over by their company, Maximus Entertainment, is expected to cost $1 million.
'We're looking at half-million just in sound and lights,' said Manios, 25.
Manios has promoted and managed clubs in Los Angeles and will be the new business' general manager. His brother, Andrew Manios, a New York- based diamond broker, is overseeing the project's finances.
Local builder Pete Politis, a childhood friend and distant relative, is overseeing the renovation. Chris Manios said the fourth Maximus partner is a Los Angeles celebrity who wants to remain anonymous.
Politis' challenge is taking apart the sports-themed architecture of the circular building dominated by an enormous letter 'A' at its entrance.
All Star Cafe and its sports theme went by the wayside in September in downsizing measures by All Star's parent company, Planet Hollywood.
Orlando, Fla.-based Planet Hollywood said the chain wanted to concentrate on its core brand restaurants in tourist locations. The company's Myrtle Beach location is located next door to the former All Star Cafe.
Local Planet Hollywood manager David Alderman said the restaurant will welcome the future nightclub.
'We don't have a whole lot of late-night business,' Alderman said. 'Our focus is mainly until 9 p.m. Having people in the parking lot later can't hurt. It will be easy to do dinner and a night out.'
Don Cauthen, who has owned the Myrtle Beach nightclub Studebaker's for 21 years, said the nightclub business is risky and wishes Maximus luck.
'There's plenty of entertainment in Myrtle Beach. It's saturated,' Cauthen said. 'They could attract a certain niche if they do a certain type of nightclub that's not here at present. They could hit a home run.'
Politis and Manios are withholding details about the new club, including its name.
What they will say is that the project will be upscale with a Los Angeles-style flavor.
'People want to be entertained,' Manios said. 'We want eye candy everywhere in this place.'
Plans call for additions to the already 15,000-square-foot venue. The project is expected to be completed in the summer.
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(c) 2001, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
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