Fort Worth is in line to get a new subterranean bar: Called No Vacancy, it'll be an underground invite-only bar in the West 7th District, located at 2811 Bledsoe St. #200, where it's slated to open in mid- to late-summer.

No Vacancy is the latest concept from food & beverage veteran Emil Bragdon, founder of Funky Lime Hospitality, who most recently co-opened Koe Wetzel's Riot Room, and whose extensive portfolio of bars and restaurants includes Reservoir, The Whiskey Garden, Shot:30, Junk Punch, Reservoir at Toyota Music Factory, and Koe Wetzel's Riot Room in Houston.

No Vacancy is a passion project, referencing some of the first bars Bragdon opened in Dallas-Fort Worth nearly two decades ago such as Mantus, Cameo, and the original Vice in Fort Worth, which were all massively buzzy underground venues.

"I always loved the mysterious, cool underground vibe of these venues," Bragdon says. "I honestly missed it so much I wanted to revive that pure love of the nightlife energy that courses through my blood."

In 2017, he acquired the former Times Ten Winery, and began excavating on the 1100 block of Foch where Koe Wetzel's Riot Room and Junk Punch currently stand.

Then came the pandemic, and the concept went on pause. But it gnawed at him.

"Underground dance clubs have just always been a passion of mine," he says. "I wanted to bring back the love for that nightclub dance-club era, and I feel like this is almost the last chance for me to do something like this, especially given the full schedule I have with expanding our other concepts."

He brought in a concrete expert and a backhoe and they began digging — going so deep they hit the water line. They built what is essentially a concrete box -- a 3800 square-foot space underground, filled with cutting-edge lighting and sound that's still to be revealed.

Private club
Like any speakeasy, No Vacancy will have a mystery entryway: namely, a green trash dumpster. That's the entrance. And there's no door guy. In order to get in, you must scan a hotel key-style card. The dumpster pops open and you walk down the stairs.

One big aspect of No Vacancy is the fact that it's a private club, meaning you can't just walk in off the street. However, they offer ways to get around that.

• You can book a Table reservation online, where you'll receive a code to get in.
• You can buy a platinum membership for full access for a year, $995.
• You're an established regular of Funky Lime Hospitality concepts and will receive a permanent membership automatically.
• You can visit one of the bar's sister venues, buy a drink, chat up the bartender, and secure an invite.

Bragdon says they're not trying to be snobby — they just want to keep the atmosphere friendly and low-key.

"We want a fun destination for the people who love and enjoy nightlife without all the negatives," he says. "People who cause drama won't be allowed access or will be asked to leave. We just want a place where everyone is cool."