When somebody walks up to you and says, “Let’s go to The Banque,” usually you don’t think of a club. However, on East Little Creek Road in Norfolk there is a spot serving exactly what VWC students need to experience an enjoyable and upbeat night.
The Banque is a lively country-western themed restaurant and nightclub open Wednesday through Saturday where you can listen to all of your favorite country tunes, play pool, strap on your cowboy boots to line-dance and even ride the mechanical bull in The Ranch, a spot in the back of the building.
The liveliness of The Banque is what draws students there week after week. Sophomore Jessica Suter loves the atmosphere that The Banque creates.
“My favorite part about The Banque is the atmosphere. I feel like I’m able to be myself, dance and have a good time without worrying about what anyone else is thinking,” Suter said.
This nightclub is not just for the country music fans. The Banque makes a conscious effort to play music that can appeal to everyone’s taste by playing some old favorites, top 40 hits, and country music with a pop vibe or pop feature. Don’t expect your usual nightclub dancing though. At The Banque, any song can have a fun and sometimes pretty difficult but authentic line dance to go along with it.
“Some of the dances are pretty difficult, but once you learn one of them, you can know the dance to like 10 songs. Another thing that is cool about the line dances is that they are all made in-house, so unless you come to The Banque you won’t see it anywhere else,” said junior Gabrielle Adams.
If dancing isn’t your thing, that’s okay. The Banque offers many in-house amenities such as billiards, a mechanical bull and the largest selection of western hats in Virginia all in one place. The Banque offers special events frequently so its regulars can always find something new to do.
“My favorite thing is the live artists they bring to perform. I got to see Luke Combs and Josh Turner when they came,” Adams said.
Several VWC students frequent The Banque. They are the ones that are doing some of the popular dances out there and also making connections outside their normal groups of friends.
“I love meeting all of the people that frequent there and making memories that I’ll always remember,” Suter said.
The Banque has also brought students together.
“I have my group of friends that go with me, but I also know I have people from Wesleyan that I know I will see when I get there and it makes it that much more fun,” Adams said.
The Banque also provides a different environment for students to hang out with the people whom they have created relationships with at Wesleyan.
“I enjoy going with people from Wesleyan because it’s a chance for us to unwind from school and see each other in a different setting. We aren’t stressed about homework or projects. We are having fun and doing what we love,” Suter said.
Overall, this place is one-of-a-kind.
“I always feel relaxed here,” Adams said. “It is not like most clubs where it is uncomfortable to be there. You get room to move, a good time and down-to-earth people to spend it with.”
So, if you want a place to explore a lively ambiance with dancing, great food and great company, grab somebody from the Wesleyan community and check out The Banque, located at 1849 E Little Creek Road.
Julie Ainsley
jmainsley@vwc.edu