Some places simply click from the moment you walk in. Natalie Burge and Russell Gardner know this feeling well. Their bars—the punk rock tiki spot Red Dwarf and the soulful blues and jazz bar Fat Cat—impart a palpable sense of intentional craft.
For Burge and Gardner, it’s not just about the drinks, the crowd or the music—it’s about creating a sanctuary. And now, they’re bringing that vision to Henderson with Grey Witch.
The concept behind the venue is all about balance—a yin-yang of sorts.
“The Grey Witch comes from the balance of good and evil, like white magic and black magic,” says Gardner. “One side will be lighter, with fairies, colorful, alive things. The other side will be darker, more witchy, more weird.”
The space reflects the duality. The front room—a whimsical, overgrown post-apocalyptic library—welcomes diners of all ages with its low lighting, taxidermy, leather and wooden booths and makeshift fireplace. The bar area promises to be a darker, more mysterious realm whose design evokes a sense of eerie intrigue. But the real magic lies hidden behind the front room’s fireplace. Through a hidden door, a speakeasy called Dark Arts awaits, offering bespoke cocktails and an intimate, reservations-only vibe.
As a whole, Grey Witch is a showcase for the wild imagination of its creators and Gardner’s talent for craftsmanship. But there’s more than just aesthetics at play. The venue is designed with a purpose: to create a haven for music and community. The music venue itself has a 375 to 400-person capacity, and Gardner and Burge are committed to making the space work for the bands that will play there.
“We’ve had very large bands play Red Dwarf because they want to do something cool and unique or different, or they get recommended from people that have played there,” Gardner says. “Hopefully that will continue here. It will just be with bigger national acts.”
The venue’s sound system is “overkill” for the space, ensuring that the experience will be top-notch, no matter the genre.
The location was a personal choice for Gardner, who spent much of his youth in Henderson. “This area is industrial, a little beat-up, but there’s a ton of neighborhoods around here. It just made sense,” he says. And given the space’s history as an all-ages venue—once called Ozone in the late ‘90s and early 2000s—the evolution feels natural to him.
Burge agrees. “I’ve brought almost all the promoters I know into the space already so they can see it, because I believe that [music] community we have here runs the gamut of genres. So does this spot,” she says.
That genre and all-ages inclusivity will be key at Grey Witch, as will food and drink: Red Dwarf’s signature Detroit-style pizza, wings, and housemade chips, and an ever-rotating selection of beers and cocktails.
And the live music programming is already shaping up as an eclectic mix. The opening night all-ages show, presented by Dirty Rock and Roll Dance Party, features the Detroit Cobras, Pure Sport, The Implosions and DJ Jacob Savage. And that’s just the beginning. From all-ages concerts to DJ nights, markets and more, Grey Witch and its founders want to offer something for everyone.
“It’s not just a business for us,” says Gardner. “It’s a labor of love.”
DETROIT COBRAS May 27, 7 p.m., $25. Grey Witch, dice.722 W. Sunset Rd., fm.
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