Historic music venue opening in Newark

Bringing a rustbelt downtown back to life is no easy task, but Tom Atha ’05 is working toward that goal in his hometown of Newark. Atha, a music instructor at Denison and owner of the Earthworks recording studio in Newark has renovated the iconic Crystal Ballroom - THE place for things to happen back in the heyday of Newark.

The refurbished building, now named the Thirty-One West Ballroom, will welcome musical performances to an intimate room which can hold 250 to 500 people, depending on the event.

A Columbus Alive article notes:

“In addition to the main ballroom, which holds 500 people standing or 250 seated, the building houses the 50-capacity Bootlegger bar with its own small stage, a Denison art gallery and performance space, a barbecue restaurant, yoga studio and a play café that will stay open during ballroom shows so that parents can drop off their kids and see some live music.”