BEATRICE - The city of Beatrice is opening a new speak-easy cocktail bar this weekend.

The Mechanical Room opens the night of Sept. 26 in the basement of the Mercantile Building at 3rd and Court Street. The Mechanical Room is the fourth business to open at that location this year.

The popular Stone Hollow Brewery was the first to open in mid-March. Gorgeous Hangers, along with Smoke and Fire Cigars, are already open with an art studio soon to come in the basement.

Owner and landlord Todd Hydo says The Mechanical Room will give customers a true prohibition-era feel.

"We've got the hole in the wall basement kind-of-thing," he said, "as far as our location goes and the aesthetics of the walls. That's probably our biggest thing. A lot of speakeasies have to try and replicate this look, but we've already got it."

The Mechanical Room will be open from 6-10 p.m. on Thursdays and 6-midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Hydo says it may be open later once the staff get better trained.

Hydo is also hopeful that the Beatrice city council will approve an entertainment district proposal by the end of the year. It would allow customers to take drinks from one business to the other.

The state liquor commission has already approved that proposal.