From outside, A Touch of Class Lounge on Damascus Road looks like your typical nightclub. But inside there is a difference: It is two clubs under one roof.

You pay the cover fee (less than $10), show your ID (age 23 and older), and for the rest of the night, you can party in what's called the "old school" side, with music from two and three decades ago. Or, you can walk down the hall to the other club, which features the latest hip-hop and rhythm and blues for the younger adults.

The old school side has a full bar, lounge area and dance floor. The other side has the same amenities, plus a stage primarily used for the club's trademark Wednesday Night Soul Karaoke, done in conjunction with radio stations WPRW-FM and WKSP-FM.

And you'd better know your song, because you're performing before a tough crowd.

"We call it Soul Karaoke, but it's not just for soul music," said owner Ron Brown. "It's for everybody, singing country, western, pop, R&B, or whatever; we have over 1,500 songs to choose from."

Weekly winners earn $200 and come back to compete for more than $1,000 in the grand finals at the end of the season. A new round begins each season.

After the karaoke competition, the dance floor and stage are filled with dancers. Many, however, would rather sit and have a plate of the club's signature buffalo wings Looking around, you can't help but notice the countless glasses people have filled with either a blue or dark green liquid. Then, passing the bar, you hear the two major requests: "Can I get a Hpnotiq?" and "An Incredible Hulk, please."

Hpnotiq is a blue cognac. It's mixed with Hennessy to produce the green concoction that has garnered the name Incredible Hulk.

A Touch of Class Lounge is open Wednesday to Saturday. Happy hour is 5-9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

On Thursday nights, there's an After Work Network, a more relaxed atmosphere where business professionals can unwind, play cards, dine from a free dinner buffet and network inside either club while watching TV on the drop-down screen.

On Fridays, women are admitted free until midnight. About once a month the club offers a male exotic dance show.

Saturday is Men's Night Out, when their first drink is free until 12:30 a.m.

While the average lifespan of a club is generally two to three years, A Touch of Class has been up and running for eight. Mr. Brown credits the success to customer service.

"We evolve with the times," he said. "We find out what it is that our customers want, and we change what we do and how we do it to provide that for them."

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PICK YOUR CLUB

The Place: A Touch of Class, 3129 Damascus Road (map)

Fashion Statement: Casual to dressy, depending on night

Drinks of Choice: Hpnotiq, Incredible Hulk

Night to Remember: Karaoke competition on Wednesdays

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