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Metro's Club of the Week Back Bar 418 S. Market St., San Jose; 408.971.6646; www.back-bar.com; opens Aug. 29 By Todd Inoue Hours: Thu-Sat 5pm-2am Ambience: Open-air patio, heat lamps Amenities: Plasma-screen televisions, pool tables, live and DJ music WHILE THE PAINT dries from the opening of Zoë Nightclub, its back patio area has undergone a not-so-quiet transformation. What was originally the El Sol tiendita has now evolved into an open-air space with a beautiful mahogany wood bar, wicker ceiling fans, pool tables, overhangs, an outdoor margarita station, Italian cypress trees, heat lamps, stained concrete and a sound system. Back Bar is more laid-back than its First Street counterpart. There will be blended drinks and hors d'oeuvres from chef Roger Morales. Owner Jacek Rosicki says it serves as a chill-out space to the darker and louder Zoë. A doorway separates the two clubs, but guests can travel back and forth between venues. Back Bar can also be used separately for private parties. The genesis of Back Bar came about through two grants (Façade Improvement and Unreinforced Masonry) from the city, as well as a lucrative $450,000 Retail, Entertainment and Arts loan that is forgiven if the bar stays open for 10 years. Rosicki and co-owner/wife Ann Chin Rosicki kicked in the remaining dough, around $500,000, to add all the embellishments. The two clubs combined now spread out to 11,000 square feet from Market to South First Street. "It's the only mega-nightspot in downtown San Jose," Rosicki brags. "There's no other place like it." The grand opening is set for 5:30pm on Aug. 29. There will be an open bar, hors d'oeuvres by Zoë and Agenda Lounge chef Brad Kraten, live music at 7:30pm by Double Funk Crunch and DJs Brotha Reese and Nappy. In September, Back Bar will open on Sundays and Mondays for televised football games, and on Sept. 10 it will debut a night called Midweek Beats, a dollar drink night for college students. Visit the website www.back-bar.com for grand-opening invitations. Send a letter to the editor about this story to letters@metronews.com. [ Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]