Upscale bars, nightclubs hit the roof

The hospitality industry opened up a new frontier in the quest for customers seeking trendy bars, nightclubs and restaurants with an outdoors ambience—the roof. MDT-Tex, Tyrone, Ga., a designer and manufacturer of customized shade systems, increased sales significantly in the last half of 2010, noting rooftop getaways as one of the hottest trends. The Tulip umbrella, a graceful and unusual shade structure, is popular among hotel executives, restaurant designers and architects. The Tulip shades venues as diverse as Chicago’s Witt Hotel roof lounge, the Encore Beach Club at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, the Hookah Lounge in Mexico City and the grounds of the 2010 U.S. Open Tennis Tournament. Other popular spots to sip a martini under the sun or stars are patios, plazas, courtyards and sporting facilities.