Lucy Blu Island Bar and Club delights students as tropical-themed night club
Max Mimaroglu | Asst. Photo Editor
Syracuse University senior Angelina Campanile said she likes that Lucy Blu feels like a high-energy club where people can dress up and have a good time.
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Angelina Campanile, a Syracuse University senior, is no stranger to the Orange Crate Brewing Company, a popular nighttime spot for many SU students, Campanile and her friends often find themselves there during the weekends. It was an exciting time for her when Orange Crate announced the opening of a new bar right around the corner, Lucy Blu Island Bar and Club.
“Going to Lucy Blu was really fun, and I liked that it was more of a club vibe since we don’t have one on campus,” Campanile said. “I also think it is nice to have a place on campus where the energy is more elevated, and people can dress up and feel like they’re at a club in the city.”
Lucy Blu opened its doors on Jan. 19 after posting several teaser posts on its Instagram starting on Oct. 4. The teaser posts boasted a Tiki-style bar with elements of tropical designs. Many students also noticed the installation of new signs where old DJ’s on The Hill signs used to sit.
Many customers from the original Orange Crate were excited about the opening of the new Lucy Blu, especially since it has a lot of familiar bartenders and bouncers from Orange Crate, shown on its Instagram. Campanile and her friends enjoy going to Orange Crate every night during the weekend.
“It’s really nice to be able to talk to your friends and sit down and have a fishbowl,” Campanile said. “It was a little disappointing that Lucy Blu had mostly the same drink options as the original Orange Crate, since a lot more people were hoping for more tropical drinks.”
The original occupant before Lucy Blu, DJ’s on The Hill, is still missed by students. Carlee Churchill, a current junior, has lots of memories at DJs from her freshman year.
“I remember when I found out that DJ’s was shutting down. It was very shocking and sad, especially considering I made so many good memories there, like dancing in the cage and waiting in the notorious long line,” Churchill said. “I think it is a good opportunity to have more variety with the bar scene at Syracuse.”
Inside of the new bar, people can find a similar layout to the old DJ’s, but with a revamped feel — Lucy Blu has decorations such as surfboards on the walls around the bar. Customers can also find a dance floor where they can let loose and have fun with their friends, with a DJ and club lighting, featuring LEDs in all different colors. There are also two bars and revamped bathrooms.
Feryal Nawaz, an alumna of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, is also a frequent customer of Orange Crate and likes that it’s not only a nighttime bar, but that there are also frequent happy hours and game day festivities.
Nawaz said the vibe and feeling was reminiscent of DJ’s on The Hill, other than the tropical decorations. She had only been to Lucy Blu one time and enjoyed the new features and that there is a lot of space to dance and have fun. Waiting in the line in the cold, however, might not be worth it, Nawaz said.
“DJ’s closing was so sad and felt like the end of an era, but I do like that Lucy Blu is much more organized in the way they run and more of a nightlife/club option” Nawaz said. “I also like that people 21 and older can go somewhere else on campus besides the same two bars.”
DISCLAIMER: Feryal Nawaz is a former Opinion columnist for The Daily Orange. She does not currently influence the editorial content of The D.O.
Published on January 30, 2022 at 8:24 pm
