Rocket Club slated for launch today

Posted on by Jon Elliston

Kevin Nessle and Ken Klehm have a big Friday in store. If all goes according to plan, they’ll open their new bar, the Rocket Club, at 5 p.m. And the business owners will certainly have reason to make a toast: They began planning the bar three years ago, and have spent much of the past year immersed in working on the establishment.

The bar, at 401 Haywood Road, is directly across the street from another new drinkery, the Admiral. The Rocket Club will be open every day, from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. At present, the bar is stocked with 40 bottles of booze, wine and 12 beers on tap. The owners say that live music — “from the broadest mix of genres possible, from cock rock to klezmer,” says Klehm — will be featured three nights a week. “The whole point is to provide a space for local musicians to have a community around them,” he adds.

For more information, call the bar at 505-2494.

— Jon Elliston, managing editor

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About Jon Elliston
Former Mountain Xpress managing editor Jon Elliston is the senior editor at WNC magazine.
View all posts by Jon Elliston →

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16 thoughts on “Rocket Club slated for launch today”

  4. C

    If they have liquor, then they must have food, right?
    Or, they ‘open’ today but you have to pay a private membership fee, then wait three days, and THEN you can drink liquor?

  5. zen

    We had a great time there, Ken and Kevin were kept hopping by the crowd that grew pretty quickly despite no outside sign and very little advertising. Hooray for East WestAsheville!

  9. The Rocket Club

    We did open.

    As for the cock-rock. . . It is more an attitude than a style. Like Polka!

  12. dontalley

    I stopped by the New Rocket Club last Sunday and was quite impressed with what they’ve done with the building. It’s a unique decor which combines elements of retro, modern, and industrial.

    But more importantly, I was impressed with the friendly atmosphere.

    I’m excited to get to see a show there during POPAsheville this weekend….and here what the club sounds like.

    I’ve talked with Ken several times and met Kevin this past Sunday. These guys are really committed to being an integral part of the local community. They’ve invested their heart and soul (and I’m sure a ton of cash) in bringing The Rocket Club to life and I wish them all the best.

    I know I’m gonna be visiting the club on a regular basis for good music…..and after work for a cold one and good conversation.

    Don Talley
    Editor
    The Asheville Music Scene

    web: http://www.ashevillemusicscene.com
    email: ashevillemusicscene@gmail.com

  13. fmerenda

    Hi Ken, we live in Leicester, also, and are not too far from your place, we’ll be sure to check it out. :)

    We’re way out in Leicester by the elementary school and firehouse…

    Take care,
    -Frank

  14. Jason Bugg

    I went to The Rocket Club on Saturday night and had a great time. The only bad part of the evening was a certain personality from a certain Asheville paper kissing my wife on the cheek.

  15. Jon Elliston

    Jason writes: “The only bad part of the evening was a certain personality from a certain Asheville paper kissing my wife on the cheek.”

    Doesn’t sound THAT bad to me. As long as the personality had the good sense to kiss you too, that is.

    Or maybe not.

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