Spookeasy Lounge
Ybor City, FL
In one of their most unusual installs, Surveillance Technology Inc. (STI) recently outfitted the most haunted kava bar in the world! Accessible only through a trap door disguised as a bookshelf, the Spookeasy Lounge is literally a hidden gem in the heart of Ybor City. Inside this 1900’s Mayor’s residence, you’ll find delicious tea and java concoctions alongside a variety of spooky activities.
As with any speakeasy, you’ll need to get past the gatekeeper to enter. STI installed a video door phone at the entrance to the parking lot, allowing staff to see and speak with any visitors before granting entry. It’s not exactly a secret knock, but management is still in control of who can access the property.
It goes without saying that an establishment celebrating things that go bump in the night would appreciate STI’s cutting edge offering – 24/7 color cameras, which capture color footage even in night vision mode. A large version of this camera offers broad views of the parking area, while another focuses on the stairs to monitor mere mortal happenings, such as a potential slip and fall.
Among the many rooms and haunted halls, you’ll now find five turret style 4K cameras for broad views of every room on the interior, in addition to a turret style 4K camera with a varifocal lens providing a tight view over the register. A fixed turret 4K camera offers surveillance of a clandestine courtyard in the middle of the building. Another on the terrace takes advantage of the balcony, which offers views of the street below.
From the time a visitor approaches the Spookeasy, their movements and activities can be monitored by bouncers and bartenders at two 28”monitors. The monitors provide real time views into the darkest corners of the property, which are also captured on a 16 channel H.265 4K DVR, which holds 8 terabytes of data.
It takes a great deal of creativity to bring a vision like the Spookeasy to life. Their partnership with Surveillance Technology was a wise choice, given STI’s extensive experience in blending state of the art security tools seamlessly into a property. While the Spookeasy whips up a sinfully delicious drink to send chills up your spine, Surveillance Technology equips them to handle the practical side of protecting their guests and assets without distracting from the ambience.
