At first glance, the newly announced Trickster’s Hideout has the feeling of travelling back in time. There are soft upholstery couches with nearby leather bound books and artwork adorning the walls. Purple velvet curtains line various seating areas.
But then, with other touches, it feels like a completely modern and unique place.
There’s a human-sized chessboard that tiles the floor. Multiple drums make up an extravagant apparatus. There’s even armour but the belly has been replaced with a drumhead, giving it a distinctly pitched sound.
From the collective mind of artists and musicians Bill Wallace, Liesl Petersen and Allen Edwards, Trickster’s Hideout is a community-oriented space that will welcome and host eclectic events. The space is operating in One and a Half Ave, which is attached to Cleveland Tavern and accessed through the alley.
Edwards said the space will transition throughout the day starting from a coffee shop in the morning, to community and art space in the afternoon, and then a nightclub.
Petersen described the space as “steampunk” and “speakeasy-themed.”
“It’s like Alice in Wonderland went to steampunk land to learn how to play the drums,” Petersen said with a laugh.
The opening for Trickster’s Hideout is on the same date as Zephyr Cafe’s closure on Sept. 25.
(Zephyr is inviting everyone down to say farewell with live music all afternoon.)
Petersen said that after folks say their goodbyes to Zephyr, they can come to Trickster’s Hideout, listen to DJs and grab some drinks.
But, the space won’t just be for DJs and other live music.
“We want to continue the poetry slams, the art battles, the open mics and karaoke and just have something going on every night of the week,” said Petersen about the vision behind it.
Edwards elaborated, “We’d like people to be able to come to Squamish on an evening and go, ‘We’re going here, we don’t know what’s happening, but there’s always something happening.’”
Edwards explained that Trickster’s Hideout is working in collaboration with the Cleveland Hospitality Group
“Our new partners will be … bringing new and exciting events and services,” said Rob Weys of Cleveland Hospital Group in an email. “They are very creative and driven, with a vision.”
Right now, the group is putting on the finishing touches and some upgrades, including installing air conditioning at the venue, and bringing in Galileo Coffee for service. They have been working hard at making the vision come to life in just a few short weeks and are still looking for experienced staff to join the team.
The doors open at 7 p.m. on Sept. 25 to check out Trickster’s Hideout. For more information, find Trickster’s Hideout on Facebook and Instagram or check its website trickstershideout.ca.
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