Muralist adds energy, vibrancy to new MoonShine Nightclub

FREMONT — When Ken Dushane sat down and thought about ideas for new interior murals at Fremont's MoonShine Nightclub, he wanted to set a fun tone for what will be the city's latest addition to its nightlife scene.

He's drawn inspiration from 1950s and '60s sci-fi horror movie posters and used graphic design elements as he's sketched and spray-painted life into the venue's previously barren walls.

"They were really wide open. They told me. 'We just love what you do,'" Dushane said of venue owners Shawn and Tom Kern, as he and Madelyn Zavala prepared for another afternoon and evening of painting Thursday at the South Front Street site.

MoonShine Nightclub is a new multifaceted entertainment venue going into the former WSOS Community Action Commission building at 109 S. Front St.

Shawn Kern, co-owner of MoonShine Entertainment, said he found out about Dushane via word-of-mouth.

"That's really how you find the good ones," Kern said, adding, "When you look at Ken's portfolio, it really stood out to us, that energy and vibrance."

Kern said he thought the murals would create energy in the room 

Dushane had also assisted on the Bernadine Stetzel mural on Front Street's Brady Mercantile Building that went up in 2019.

As he, Kern and Zavala walked around MoonShine NightClub's interior Thursday, Dushane said he poured himself into being a full-time muralist about 10 years ago after being unhappy with his day job as a manager at a commercial greenhouse.

Dushane has painted, by his account, murals in 18 states this past year.

He periodically travels to mural festivals, including the Miami Mural Festival.

Dushane is originally from Detroit

Originally from Detroit, Dushane has operated out of Toledo for several years.

He met Zavala in Kansas City and plans to move there with her in the near future.

Dushane said there aren't too many full-time muralists in the United States, with maybe a couple hundred artists pursuing it on a full-time basis.

He said he was grateful for the opportunity.

"Not everybody gets to do this," Dushane said.

Renovations on the building started in December, Kern said.

The first floor will include a dance floor, seating for 250 people, a 40-foot-long bar area, multiple television sets, and arcade games.

Kern said the second floor will include rooms for semi-private parties and conference meetings, with seating for 100 people and a catering space.

MoonShine Nightclub will primarily be open during evenings and weekends.

WSOS moved to nearby building in 2018

WSOS, which changed its name to Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, moved out of the 109 S. Front St. location in 2018 when it moved its offices to the nearby former Peebles/Joseph's Department Store building at 127 S. Front St.

Kern said the venue's opening will probably be pushed back into the first week of August.

He said the entire building's occupancy is around 500, with approximately 250 on the first floor.

Dushane said he probably had another week and a half left of work on MoonShine's remaining murals.

dacarson@gannett.com

419-334-1046

Twitter: @DanielCarson7