A visit to the Notes Lounge in Murfreesboro is a bit like stepping into a vintage 1960s dining club. Guests can enjoy music, food, and camaraderie in an old-school vibe.

Heavy black curtains line the walls. There are plush sofas, comfy chairs, and dozens of tables for dining in front of an intimate stage.

Located at 2349A S. Church St. in Murfreesboro, The Notes Lounge is the vision of Mike and Andrea Butler. He loves jazz music; she is passionate about cooking.

“I’m a simple guy, and for me my vision was old school. I remember when a man had to walk to a table and ask a lady to dance. I remember when you dated a woman and you being able to talk and get to know each other, ”said Mike Butler.

The couple built Notes Lounge from “blank canvas,” said Mike Butler. “So we used our own vision and our own ideas.”

This vision did not include a pandemic, however. The Notes Lounge opened on March 13, 2020 – the day most of Middle Tennessee was closed for COVID-19.

“Going from that to absolutely nothing was very scary. Mike calmed my nerves, and we haven’t stopped pushing since. With COVID, we knew we would need to capitalize on downtime and streamline our operations.” said Andrea Butler, a detective for the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. “We knew we would reopen; we just didn’t know when.”

A place for ‘adult entertainment’

In the meantime, the couple focused on small-scale renovations, buying furniture, replacing light fixtures, and tweaking the features of the lounge-style atmosphere.

“With every event we have to be able to change the setting, the mood and the flow. Every time you come here it’s different,” said Andrea Butler.

The 9,000 square foot room can accommodate 150 in the front and 200 in the back. With a standing place, it can accommodate up to 600 people.

The entire floor is available, but Notes Lounge can also be looped into smaller sections. There is a chic lounge area perfect for a private meeting in an intimate setting and another section more suitable for dining. The place is also available for rent.

The biggest seated event in the past year was around 400. But in the end, Mike Butler said there was plenty of room for entertainment and social distancing.

“I wanted a place where people weren’t on top of each other,” said Mike Butler. “We provide entertainment for adults. You come here and it’s an individual experience with music or an individual experience with whatever is going on.”

Groups of four or more are encouraged to call ahead so that seating can stay socially away from each group of guests.

The menu varies with each event and opening.

“If we’re not happy, we don’t serve it,” said Mike Butler. “We cook to order.”

His culinary tastes turn to country-style cooking, but his wife is working on menu items to incorporate vegan and gluten-free options.

Although Mike Butler has a love of jazz, Notes Lounge is not limited to any genre of music or style of entertainment. There is rhythm and blues, rock, soul and to come, there is MicroMania Midget Wrestling.

“Before COVID, I always complained that there wasn’t much to do. You were going to eat or go to the movies, or you had to go to downtown Nashville where you pay $ 25 for parking or walk a mile in the country to get to a place, ”said Andrea Butler.

The Notes Lounge is currently open from 7:00 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. A brunch with live entertainment is offered on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. Butlers hope to extend regular hours of operation from Thursday to Sunday.

Special live entertainment is also offered and posted on the Notes Lounge Facebook page and thenoteslounge.com.

Coming to the Notes show

• A Tribute to Luther Vandross featuring Danny Clay will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 9. Tickets cost $ 20 and can be purchased on eventbrite.com.
• MicroMania Midget Wrestling will take place on Monday at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $ 15 and can be purchased through The event section of the Notes Lounge Facebook page.
• A wine tasting will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13. Tickets cost $ 15 and can be purchased through eventbrite.com.
• All in for Hunger Casino Night takes place on May 22 at 6 p.m. Play blackjack, poker, roulette and craps and enjoy an open bar, big appetizers and a silent auction. The proceeds will benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Tickets cost $ 100 per person and can be purchased on eventbrite.com.

To follow the events, visit The Notes lounge on Facebook.

Contact journalist Nancy DeGennaro at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @NanDeGennaro. Follow the news of the restaurants by joining Good Eats in the ‘Boro (and beyond) on Facebook.