A new, urban-style bar has come to town. Soma, 320 N. Neil St., opened this summer in downtown Champaign, and boasts a city-like atmosphere and d‚cor, a diverse crowd, a wide selection of beverages and special events.

Carlos and Marco Nieto and Tifani Moot, owners of Jupiter’s Pizzeria and Billiards, the Highdive, Cowboy Monkey and Guido’s, opened Soma on June 9. Soma co-owner Moot said co-owner Marco Nieto and manager John Kosmopoulos shopped around Chicago before coming up with the idea for Soma. They wanted an urban scene, and Soma has a cosmopolitan environment, she said.

Moot said she helped come up with Soma’s name. Soma is the name of a drink that sedates people in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” and is also the Greek word for “body.”

Soma General Manager, Co-Creator and Designer Kosmopoulos said the club is set up with a front room and a back room. The front room is more “chill” and lounge-like, he said. The back room has a dance floor and louder dance music, he added.

Soma host Nick Nakamura said he has seen as many as 80 people on the dance floor at one time.

Terry Boyer, junior in LAS, said he comes to Soma 2-3 days a week and has been coming since the club opened this summer. Boyer said he likes to “chill” in the front of the club, and he enjoys listening and dancing to loud music in the back. People can pretty much get anything they want, he said.

Since Soma’s opening, business has been steady, Kosmopoulos said

“It’s been good for us,” he said. “We’ve had a diverse crowd. We get college students, and we get older people.”

Soma bartender Dana Blankenship said he has seen people of all ages, from people in their early 20s, to those in their 30s and even as old as 60. Everyone hangs out together, he said.

Some of the club’s unique features are its design and d‚cor, Kosmopoulos said.

Curved couches, mirrors, dark curtains and a glowing bar decorate the dimly lit front room of the club. A hallway with ledges built into the walls to hold drinks leads to the back room of the club. The back room has tables along the wall, another glowing bar, couches and a dance floor. White and colored lights dazzle across the room. Above is a VIP room and the area where the disc jockey mixes music.

You feel like you’re not in Champaign, Kosmopoulos said.

“It has a very Chicago, New York and Los Angeles type of atmosphere,” he said.

Lisa Meid works in Champaign and said she comes to Soma every chance she gets because she likes the general atmosphere.

Chris Hamelberg works in Champaign as well and said Soma reminds him of recently closed Elixer nightclub in Chicago.

But there is more to Soma than only its diverse crowd and urban-feel environment.

Boyer, who described Soma as “Chicago, in one word,” said he keeps coming back for the energy, the people and the staff.

Prakash Kannan works in Champaign and said the service at Soma is great.

And Champaign resident Sean Kerrigan said he enjoys the sound system, which he described as “incredibly clear.”

“The sound system is worthy of a big club,” he said.

People can listen to a variety of music at Soma, Kosmopoulos said.

“We’re all over the board, depending on the night of the week,” he said.

Disc jockeys play 80’s and 90’s music Wednesday nights. On Thursdays, they play underground house music, and Friday and Saturday nights, they play everything, from 70’s to hip hop, he said.

Soma also boasts a wide variety of beverages.

“We carry everything, from Pabst Blue Ribbon to Cristal champagne,” Kosmopoulos said.

Soma has a vast liquor selection and a big menu of specialty cocktails and martinis, he said.

Soma bartender Brandon Whisman said the most popular martini he mixes is the Classic Cosmopolitan.

Soma Assistant Manager Robby Warsaw said drinks can cost as little as $3 for domestic beers, or as much as $300 for a bottle of Cristal.

Kosmopoulos said Soma will be hosting special events that will be coming up soon, Kosmopoulos said.

Soma will host an Absolut Vodka-sponsored white party, on Sept. 1, where the entire club will be decorated in white, and everyone who comes must wear white, he said. The party will be modeled after rapper P. Diddy’s white party.

Soma will host a hair and fashion show Sept. 4. Following will be an old school party, where 80s and 90s hip-hop music will be played, he said.

Anyone can rent anywhere from one table to teh entire bar or VIP room, Kosmopoulos sad.

Soma is open Wednesdays through Saturdays. There is no cover on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but cover for Fridays, Saturdays and special events cost $5. People must be 21 to get into the club, Kosmopoulos said. He suggests that people dress nicely, as if they are going to a club, when coming to Soma. For more information or information about employment, visit www.somaultralounge.com.