Community Interest
Authentic: Matt Catchpole
Local business owner aims to push the envelope for Columbia's food and beverage offerings.
The sun was setting over 601 N. Lucas Street as Matt Catchpole spent the evening tidying up his latest passion project, the upcoming Ikie Lu Record Club. He purchased the property back in June 2024 and spent nearly the whole year overseeing painstaking renovations, transforming what once was a church building into a modern, cozy lounge for music lovers to enjoy. After several months of work, Ikie Lu was truly taking shape: an eclectic array of mid-century modern furniture, record players, speakers, and artistic renderings of jazz greats lining the back wall of the bar. Similar to the wine lounges of Europe, he wanted to create a distinct, immersive experience in West Columbia: rooted in jazz vinyls, lively conversation, and elevated takes on casual fast dining.
With a Paul Simon record playing in the background, Matt looked around and realized he had unintentionally created just the type of place his grandmother-the original Ikie Lu-and his late father would have loved to lounge in. Known to most as Ida Louise, only her closest friends and family called her Ikie Lu—a nickname that originated from her days playing drums in her high school marching band and a folk instrument called a wash tub bass, also known as a “gut bucket,” among friends. Matt wanted the same sense of informality, of close familiarity, to encompass every part of his record club.
After describing the atmosphere as a blend of high-brow and low-brow, Matt shared, “We want it to be the nicest blue collar place you’ve ever been.” Think: caviar-topped hot dogs paired with chilled champagne. Already, news and excitement are circulating in our local food scene and beyond. For the 2025 Columbia Food and Wine Festival, Matt hosted chefs Claudia Martinez and Connor Hinderks at Ikie Lu Record Club for a collaborative kitchen event-attended by national and regional publications like Eater and The Local Palate.
With buzz growing about the club, Matt’s hope is to push the envelope for the city’s food and beverage offerings. “I believe that if you want things to be a little bit better, make them a little bit better, right?” Matt said. “Be a big part of that, and kind of set the tone. And then don’t take less.”
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