Stormans Nightclub

Hours: 4 p.m. to midnight Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday and Friday; 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday (open at noon Sunday during football season).

Cover: $5 cover on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday; $8 on Tuesday; no cover on Monday and Wednesday

What to wear: Most nights you'll find casual club wear, complete with trendy vintage T-shirts, trucker's caps and a few belt buckles thrown into the mix. On the weekends, don your finest threads, as the party is all about style.

Signature drink: All 13 bartenders have their own signature drink, each one a concoction of their imagination. Anything from a Scooby Snack to Pam's Poison will keep you intrigued.

The scene: Storman's offers a different scene every day of the week. But the basic formula for success here includes lots of lights, high-energy dance music, VIP rooms, and plenty of young, free spirits letting loose in an upscale party environment.

The crowd: Sitting just off the Howard Frankland Bridge, Storman's is able to attract a crowd from all over Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Music is the driving force at this venue, so the crowd can range from young hipsters showing their latest dance moves to young professionals discussing a business deal.

The specials: Sundays they offer $2 drinks with DJ Kidd Leow spinning upscale hip hop. Tuesday is "Sink or Swim" with all-you-can-drink for $8, while guest DJs spin house and techno. Wednesday is a Key West-style Parrothead party with a free buffet from 6-8 p.m. Thursday features Latin DJs and free drinks for ladies until 11 p.m. On Fridays, ladies drink for free all night. The high-energy dance party continues Saturday with an open bar from 9-11 p.m.

The scoop: Storman's has been a staple of the Tampa Bay entertainment scene since Brian Storman and a partner took over Pinrods Palace in November 1993. After dropping more than $1 million into renovations, sound and lighting, Storman created a mecca for Bay area clubgoers.

With at least 70 TVs and monitors, seven full liquor bars, a 20-foot theater wall and a multi-level dance floor, it's easy to see why this joint has had such success.

Storman's idea was to give both sides of the Bay a complete entertainment package in a comfortable environment.

The 14,000-square-foot club also features a full-menu catering service and banquet facilities. But the essence of this venue is in the parties it hosts. Dancers, fire breathers, regional DJs and a fine-tuned staff put on a show every week. Not to mention the well-dressed and very attractive crowd that makes Storman's a powerhouse package of pure nocturnal exhilaration.

By Doug Van Sant