Concerns from residents of the Bassett neighborhood may slow the progress of Retro Tavern, a new music venue and bar on West Main Street.

The owners of the business, Curt Brink and his son Matt Brink, said they see their tavern as somewhere that locals can head to when they are looking for somewhere different to go during a night out.

“It’s supposed to complement all the other great businesses on the street,” Curt Brink said.

Retro Tavern will serve both food and alcohol, with each of the three levels serving different functions. Tables for dining will be on the first level, and the owners hope to bring in solo musicians or small bands to serve as background music.

The Brinks planned out a menu that offers a variety of food, ranging from salmon to cheese curds. The lower level will be dedicated to private parties.

The Brinks are also the owners of the Brinks Lounge in downtown Madison, and want to continue their past of hosting wedding parties, birthdays and other large groups.

Curt Brink said their upper level would serve as their “family room,” furnished with couches, pool tables and 70’s style pinball machines.

The Brinks want to try and bring a new atmosphere to the block, different from the many bars that target the college-age students.

“We want to fit in,” Matt Brink said. “We don’t want to be too different, but we want to add.”

The Brinks are far in their planning, but are still dealing with a major setback.

Community members who live in the area, especially residents in the Baskerville Condominiums, said they were concerned about the increase in noise level that will come with the addition of another bar on the 1000 block on Main Street.

“Would you want every storefront to be a bar”? Randy Alexander, a neighbor and property owner, asked. “Curt, I’m sorry I can’t support you, but I think it’s too much.”

Much of the controversy is regarding the Brinks’ application for an alcohol and entertainment license. The father and son duo want to have their venue official stated as a bar.

Due to the Alcohol License Density Ordinance, which limits the number of locations in an area that can have liquor licenses, they might be forced to operate as a restaurant if they want to open at all. If this becomes the case, no more than 50 percent of their profits can come from liquor sales, and there is speculation whether the business would be able to survive under these conditions.

Retro Tavern passed all health and safety tests and is now waiting only for these licenses to get approved.

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the opposition to Retro Tavern was uncharacteristic of many similar proposals in the downtown area.

“It’s unusual to have this much neighborhood opposition against a liquor license,” Verveer said. “But if there are concerns, I call a time-out.”