Now Open: Octave Music Cafe brings live music to downtown district

Bringing live music to Downtown Youngstown.

That's the goal of the newest business that just moved into the growing Phelps Street in the heart of the city. The owners of Octave Music Cafe and Event Center say this will make the city more lively, through food, drinks, and music.

The owners behind Octave Music Cafe & Event Center have spent the past year turning the former Suzie's Dogs & Drafts and Rhine Haus space into a live music joint after the businesses closed their doors earlier this year. 

"Youngstown has always been a music city so we just want to focus on where our heart's at," said Gary Reynolds, Co-Owner of Octave Music Cafe and Event Center.

"A lot of our house band musicians that we bring in are coming from Cleveland or Pittsburgh because this is something that they don't even have," explained Jamhal Simon, Co-Owner of Octave Music Cafe and Event Center.

Their goal is to bring a venue for high-quality entertainment to the downtown district. The owners have known each other for years, working together as R&B and jazz musicians.

"We've had a long-lasting friendship and our love for music and our own bond for music," Reynolds said. "It naturally gravitated to a business."

"It's opened Youngstown to a whole different era," explained Latisha Hughes of Youngstown. "I feel safe being here. The music is very exciting. I'm happy to be here."

Friday's opening night welcomed hundreds of intrigued community members to the space. 

Customers can expect different genres of music when they step into the space. The owners tell 21 News they're looking for local performers or groups to inquire with them.

"We do want to focus on local groups but we also have our friends who are from Cleveland and Pennsylvania," Reynolds said. "So we want to accept anyone who can play."

With a continuous financial struggle for small business, especially bars and restaurants, the owners believe their unique space will draw in the crowds.

"Our goal here is to give Youngstown a place to experience an alternative to the nightlife," Simon said. "There's not a lot of places where you can go and enjoy live music consistently. There's not a lot of places where you're guaranteed a live performance every time you go out."

If you are interested in working with the company as a performer, you can just head to their website to inquire.