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TApp Room Opens The Annex in Former Klondike Building, Ushers in New Era of Music and Entertainment

By Bailey Faulkner

Good news for TApp Room goers: the local favorite recently hosted the grand opening of The Annex, the restaurant’s new entertainment wing housed in the former Klondike building. Rolling with momentum from its new expansion, TApp is looking forward to kicking off a new chapter in Boone’s music and entertainment scene.

Birth of The Annex

Knowing that Klondike was ending operations last year, the folks at TApp began thinking about the potential that added space could have for their already successful bar and restaurant.

Front door at The Annex

“What we really needed at first were additional parking spaces,” general manager Kevin Pearce said.

The strip of bars and restaurants at the corner of U.S. 321 and Rivers Street have notoriously tight parking, so TApp was excited at the possibility of additional spaces for its customers. The venue gained 11 parking spaces with from the recent expansion.

While extra parking was certainly a plus, TApp soon realized the full potential that the former Klondike building had to offer.

“I’m old enough to remember Klondike being one of the few places to hang out and one of the only places to see live music shows other than Legends,” Pearce said. “I remember seeing some cool shows like Larry Keel and Acoustic Syndicate there.”

Pearce isn’t the only person with fond memories of music at Klondike. While much of Boone’s population wasn’t around for the glory days at Klondike, those who lived in the area in the ’90s and early 2000s remember a vibrant music scene at the venue.

TApp Room is now striving to recreate that atmosphere in its new entertainment wing.

“The stage is here and we know people like music,” Pearce said.

Music at the Annex

Luckily for TApp, the venue is privileged to have Joshua Scott, one of the most well-connected individuals in local and regional music, in charge of booking at The Annex.

“Josh is the brains behind the whole operation. He runs sound and knows everybody in town and the area,” Pearce said.

Stage at The Annex with mural by Dabney Smith

Scott is looking forward to using the new space to host music.

“Having the stage creates a better sound than when we had music on the original side of TApp,” Scott said. “It will also allow bands to set up much earlier and not feel as rushed.”

The enhanced sound and more inviting environment clearly had a hand in the success at The Annex’s opening.

“Funkelstiltskin, Spectrascope and Disfunktion all played our opening night, which was huge,” Scott said.

Scott was pleased to have each of these three bands kick off the new era of music at TApp.

“All three of those bands bring their own little twist to the funk genre,” he said.

Unlike many of the music venues in town, The Annex will also offer earlier show times to accommodate those who like to get their music fix before the late-night hours.

“The Annex will offer music earlier in the evening on some nights, allowing the older crowd that doesn’t like to be out with the college crowd to come out and enjoy music during their dinner,” Scott said.

The Annex Increases Capacity at TApp

Another bonus from TApp’s expansion will be its increased capacity. Before the expansion, the venue had a maximum capacity of 85 people. Now, TApp is able to host around 150 patrons on busy nights.

Skee-ball and seating at The Annex

“Having the Annex will allow us to have around 40 more indoor seats as well as another porch that’s twice as long as our original,” Scott said. “On top of that, we have a pool table, darts, Skee-ball and a multi-cade.”

With an almost twofold increase in capacity since opening The Annex, TApp has its eyes open for exciting new opportunities that would not have been possible before the addition.

“We’re just trying to figure things out as we go. Everything is on the table,” Pearce said. “It will be a lot of trial and error, so we’ll just have to see what sticks.”

Upcoming Events at The Annex

A few big events are already in the making for The Annex. Local favorites and world-famous blues legends The King Bees are slated to take the former Klondike stage sometime in the coming months.

In addition to music, The Annex will host other weekly events during weekdays. This Monday marked the first weekly trivia night for the expansion. TApp will also host a dart league that will toss every Tuesday in The Annex.

The venue is planning on having DJs and dance music each Thursday, with Friday and Saturday devoted to live local and regional music.

What TApp and The Annex Are All About

Reflected in its new weekly schedule, TApp strives to create an inclusive environment that has something to offer for everybody.

“We try to be diverse and we’d like it to be for everybody. That’s the whole mantra behind TApp Room,” Pearce said.

DownTown Abby & The Echoes at Wet Bandit Audio in Boone

The venue will also surely be a favorite hangout for students and community members with the coming of spring.

“We probably have the best porch in town. We’re really looking forward to the spring,” Pearce said.

Music and events are starting off strong for The Annex. The venue will host local soul-pop group DownTown Abby & The Echoes this Saturday, February 18. The event is 21 and up and there will be no cover charge.

You can check out DownTown Abby & The Echoes on the band’s website or Facebook page.

Check out these pictures from The Annex and TApp Room!

 

 

The Annex

 

 

TApp Room