Red Light District (Nice Guys Nola Group)

Bar, Dinner, eCommerce, Featured, Restaurant Sites

Status:
Online
Client:
PopMenu
Established:
2025
URL:
redlightdistrictbyngn.com
Location:
LA, USA
Project Scope:
UX/UI Strategy, Brand Alignment, Copywriting, Event Lead Gen

Project Overview

A Digital Velvet Rope for NOLA's Newest Lounge

When the team behind Nice Guys Nola acquired a second-floor space to create the Red Light District, they had a clear vision: a sultry, exclusive lounge dripping in neon and velvet. However, the venue was virtually invisible online. Without a traditional menu to drive search traffic, the brand needed a digital experience that sold the atmosphere and exclusivity rather than just food and drink.

The mission was to open the doors to the "Digital Bourbon Street." We needed to translate the moody, lush interior into a sleek, high-converting website that honored strict brand guidelines while aggressively driving high-ticket private event inquiries and VIP sign-ups before guests ever stepped onto the property.

Challenges & Goals

The Challenges

No Menu, No Hook: Unlike typical restaurants, the venue lacked a traditional menu, requiring a strategy that converted visitors based solely on vibe, events, and bottle service.

Brand Rigidity: The client provided a brand guide with non-web-safe fonts and a very specific color palette, challenging the technical limitations of standard browsers.

Location Logic: We had to clearly differentiate between the public lounge and the dedicated event space (two different physical addresses) without confusing guests navigating the site.

The Goals

Revenue Pivot: Uncover the primary revenue driver (Private Events = 80%) and restructure the Information Architecture to prioritize lead capture over general browsing.

Visual Translation: Convert print-only assets into a web-safe design system using Ibarra Real Nova and Great Vibes to maintain the sultry aesthetic.

Actionable UX: Place crimson Calls-to-Action (Reserve, VIP, Plan Event) above the fold to drive four specific user behaviors instantly.

Strategy & Approach

Phase 1: Discovery & IA

Stakeholder interviews revealed that 80% of revenue came from private events. I pivoted the site map to focus on conversion rather than exploration, building a lean structure: Home, Reservations, Events, Private Events, and VIP.

Phase 2: Brand Integration

To honor the print brand guide, I mapped non-web fonts to their closest Google Font equivalents (Ibarra Real Nova for headings, Trebuchet MS for body). I locked the five-tone palette, anchored by Crimson (#9F0B0B), into global CSS variables, ensuring instant theme consistency and a "neon-soaked" look across all pages.

Phase 3: High-Impact Content

I wrote copy that sells the experience. Headlines like "Experience the Exclusive Red Light District" set the tone immediately. We built a dedicated VIP section with Mailchimp integration to capture emails by promising first-access perks, creating a sense of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).

Solutions Delivered

Area	Highlight
Lead Generation	Built a robust Private Events page that sells capacity and features, linking directly to the Toast CRM inquiry form.
Visual Design	Implemented a custom "Crimson & Noir" theme with web-safe font mappings to replicate the venue's sultry print branding.
Performance	Achieved <1s Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) on mobile by compressing hero video assets to modern codecs.
Event Logic	Developed an Events page template that auto-filters past dates, keeping the content fresh without manual maintenance.
User Flow	Strategically placed "Reserve Now" and "Join VIP" buttons above the fold, echoing them site-wide to maximize click-throughs.