The new location of The Crocodile is a legendary club where bands such as Pearl Jam and Nirvana performed in the 90s. It feels more than just a music venue. 

There is the Society Cafe, a cozy bar with dark blue walls, decorated with well-preserved insects and antlers, just like a science professor’s study room. A 40-foot-high crocodile skeleton hangs above the floor of the main venue space. There are also green rooms. Each room is dedicated to a different decade. The rooms in the 1980s are decorated with records on the wall, a transparent glass table and a black leather sofa. Not to mention the 17 hotel rooms upstairs.

Without a physical store for more than a year, The Crocodile reopened on Tuesday in a new location in Belltown, hosting a party for people in the music industry and the press. The first performance of the new space-comedy troupe Mega64 in the main exhibition hall with a capacity of 750 people, and rapper MBNel in the 300-seat venue downstairs-the performance of the 300-seat venue downstairs. Then on January 1, The Crocodile will open another restaurant and bar in the same building, as well as a 100-seat theater/comedy club Here-After. 

The owners of The Crocodile vacated their old Belltown space in November 2020 after the lease expired. Despite the uncertainty of the pandemic, Adam Wakeling, the managing partner of The Crocodile, and his partners were able to obtain a 20-year lease to rent a 30,000 square foot former El Gaucho space just 4 blocks away.

They see this as an opportunity for expansion. The ancient crocodile is full of history: this is the filming location of Cameron Crowe's movie "Singles" and hosted performances by famous artists of all genres, including Baker and John Mayer (John Mayer), The White Stripes and Sia. But it is also very small. The old showroom has a capacity of 500 people, while its Back Bar can only accommodate 100 people. Now, in addition to expanded showrooms, hotel rooms, spacious green rooms, and restaurants and bars, the Crocodile Hotel will include a comedy club in 2022-booking partner Hunter says that Seattle desperately needs it, especially since the pandemic Since the comedy basement closed.

"The old crocodile is very popular, hard and small," Moto said. "Now we have a shower in the greenhouse. What is it like!?"

Wakeling said that the new crocodiles should initially open in early September. Delays in obtaining building permits and supply chain issues hindered the construction process. Therefore, in the past few months, the Crocodile has been scrambling to arrange its 12-15 weekly regular performances in other venues in town, such as Neumos, The Tractor Tavern, and Chop Suey.  

"We are excited about expansion," Wakeling said. "We can't wait to get these shows back inside."

Wakeling said that the main changes to the new space reservations will come from Here-After, which will enable The Crocodile to stage comedy shows in the future, and may even have movie premieres in the future. But Motto said the larger showroom and hotel room with a 40-foot-wide stage (where bands can stay) makes the venue more attractive for large-scale performances. He said that Madame Lou's will host developing bands, especially those "female avant-garde" bands, adding that this venue will be a place where "people who have never performed in Seattle before will get their first chance." 

Although some customers of the old crocodile might miss the old Back Bar pizza — made in a red brick oven and had to stay in the building — the new menu has a lot to offer. 

Since people will have to stand and eat during the show, chef Nathan Gerard (previously Reckless Noodles, Il Bistro and Terra Plata) decided to stick with hand-held food. The opening menu includes patatas bravas (made with fingerling potatoes and bravas sauce), Moroccan lamb and vegetable flatbread, and Peruvian-style grilled chicken sandwiches with peppers and butter burgers.  

"The concept is built on the different cultures that have supported Seattle over the years and combined it with the components of the Pacific Northwest," he said.

Food will be served from around 3pm to 2am, and those without concert tickets can get it through the Society Café and Here-After bars. Currently, the entire building will have the same menu, but Gerard plans to provide special menus for different parts of the building in the future. 

For those who want Old Croc pizza, he offers panzerotti (fried pizza bag) with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and salami. 

In many ways, the new alligator is a testimony to Seattle's history. Lou's is named after Lou Graham, who owned a famous Seattle brothel in the late 1800s and became one of the city’s wealthiest citizens-some say "almost written by history", even though she helped the city The revival of the fire of 1889. Motto said that the main showroom with hanging crocodile skeletons should look like a natural history museum.

But there is also a little bit of crocodile history scattered in the building, such as the huge, curved black booth now provided for Mrs. Lou. Moto said that he eventually wanted to turn the old boiler room of the building into a mini museum, highlighting the legendary past of the crocodile.

Moto said that there will be a grand opening ceremony in March and the details will be announced soon.

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