By Mark Ambrogi
Casablanca has been remade. Not the Humphrey Bogart classic, but the Fishers hookah bar.
Sirine Khelifi, a Fishers resident, took over ownership and re-opened Casablanca Lounge & Hookah Bar this summer. The hookah bar, at 9775 E. 116th St., features flavored tobacco and different brands.
“We serve alcohol as well as non-alcohol drinks,” Khelifi said. “We have milkshakes and finger foods for the bar.”
The hookah bar was closed for a few months before Khelifi took it over. Khelifi said the previous owners did not sell alcohol. Khelifi serves as the manager and co-owns it with her husband, Noshi. The couple has three young children.
“We remodeled the place and added the bar to it,” said Khelifi, who has a master’s degree in business administration. “We changed decorations to get more of a Mediterranean feel. We want to give it more of a comfy feel at the same time.”
Khelifi has a DJ playing music one Saturday a month, which Khelifi said creates more of a club atmosphere. The capacity is 64.
Khelifi said while the business is building, the numbers of customers coming to the bar are still not where she wants them to be.
“Every person that comes in loves it, but we’re trying to get the word out,” Khelifi said.
Khalif said she believes she has the only place where you can smoke and drink alcohol. Customers can smoke cigars, too.
Operating hours are 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday and 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. The bar has more information under its Facebook page.
