While the fight for Fat City goes on, a new club is opening in the neighborhood on Friday, when The Café opens its doors to the public with a party from 5 to 8 p.m. Taking the famous Hard Rock Café as a model, but keeping its focus local, The Café will include memorabilia from local bands, such as a signed cymbal from the Topcats, a bass guitar from Jerry Christopher of Bag of Donuts and KISS boots from his band mate Jonathan Hoerner, and drumheads from the Bucktown All-Stars and Cowboy Mouth’s Fred LeBlanc.

The Café will serve not just food and coffee but beer and wine as well, and plans to feature live music. It also hopes to act as a physical home for the currently homeless Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.