One Eugene restaurateur is trading jazz music for international cuisine.
Adam Bernstein, the co-owner and executive chef of Adam’s Place (30 E. Broadway) and Luna (28 E. Broadway), hopes to transform the downtown jazz club into a Moroccan restaurant. Adam’s Place, which features an entrance to Luna, will remain open during the transformation.
Science Pub, a casual science lecture series held at Luna and hosted by the University of Oregon, the Oregon Museum of Science Industry and the Science Factory, is being forced to move to a new location.
Luna hosted its last live show on Saturday, and its final Science Pub lecture, “Bringing Fossils to Life at the John Day Paleontology Museum,” is set for this Thursday. After that, all Science Pubs will be held at Cozmic Pizza (199 W. 8th Ave.).
Luna hosted more than science, and it opened in 2002 primarily as a jazz and blues club.
Bernstein said customers interested in music were in decline at the club.
“People were more interested in spending money on alcohol rather than spending money on paying for music,” Bernstein said. “It was very hard to pay the musicians. We want to pay them a fair wage.”
Bernstein said he wants to turn the club into a Moroccan/North African restaurant.
“I do believe Eugene embraces things that are ethnic, and the spices from Morocco are of the North African spice trade, so it’s a different flavor palate,” Bernstein said. “Something Eugene always embraces is being different.”
Bernstein said he is recruiting new chefs, but he plans on being the main chef at the new restaurant. Remodeling should start this week, but Bernstein did not go into details on the specifics of the remodel.
“It’ll be a very playful Moroccan experience,” he said. Bernstein added the new restaurant will rely heavily on local organic food. The new restaurant is set to open this spring.
Science Pub organizers say Luna served them well for the lecture series, but they say the Cozmic Pizza location will actually be more ideal.
Luna has hosted Science Pub monthly since June 2007.
“We enjoyed being at Luna and had no reason to leave, other than the fact they won’t have the space to host us anymore,” said Amanda Thomas, coordinator of adult programs at OMSI.
Science Pub organizers worked closely with Luna staff, who gave them notice of the closing.
“I knew things were in the works, so it didn’t come as a surprise,” Thomas said. “I’m just sad we’ll not be at Luna.”
During Science Pub, students and community members would often have to stand among each other at Luna, Thomas said. Cozmic Pizza has more seating – an added benefit of the new location.
Pizza and beer at Cozmic may also attract more students, rather than the mixed drinks served at Luna, Thomas said.
Jennifer Bell, marketing director for the Science Factory in Eugene, said she is happy with the new venue.
“A lot of what would slow things down at Adam’s Place is that it’s mostly table service, so people would have to wait around,” Bell said, adding that Cozmic Pizza is more low key. “It’s a real casual place, whereas Adam’s Place is one of the nicest restaurants in town, and Luna was fairly upscale. Science Pub is meant for a casual atmosphere.”
Bell said she is thankful Science Pub will go on.
“In general, I think it’s really cool we live in a town where Science Pub – basically a lecture – can pack a bar,” Bell said. “It says it’s a community that’s interested in education throughout their lifetime. Science Pub wouldn’t fly in other parts of the country.”
For updated Science Pub times and locations, those interested can visit www.omsi.edu/education/adults/sciencepub.