Inside Richmond's new speakeasy and basement theater

Richmond has a new underground space for drinking and local art, in all its forms.

Driving the news: The Basement — a nonprofit performance venue, art gallery and speakeasy — opened this month in the former TheatreLab at 300 E. Broad St. in the Arts District.

Why it matters: Rooftops get all the love and attention, but subterranean nightlife is a whole lot cooler — literally.

Zoom in: A trio of local women — Mercedes Benson, McLean Fletcher and Brianne Oltermann White — opened The Basement to breathe new life into the stage that for more than a decade served as a home for performing arts groups, Style Weekly reports.

In its latest iteration, the venue will still host plays in the theater, plus live music, art openings in its gallery, drawing and acting classes, burlesque shows and private events, according to its calendar.

• Plus, as a nonprofit, local artists will keep 100% of sales from their event, per Style.

Meanwhile, the bar and lounge — which is open to the public every Friday and Saturday — will hopefully draw in a whole new audience for local artists, Benson told Style.

If you go: Happy hour starts this weekend.