The Pawn Shop, a preeminent boutique lounge, whose barbed wire and red letters screaming “we buy diamonds” face the soon to open Performing Arts Center, is a cutting edge catalyst in the revival of downtown Miami. Once home to a 1930s (you guessed it) pawn shop, the entertainment begins from the moment one steps in line – door man Alan T, dressed in full regalia (most nights as a police officer), welcomes guests via bullhorn then escorts them to the door, which doubles as the outside of a Pepsi machine.

Once inside, this bar/lounge is decked out with nostalgic furniture, collectibles, historic pop culture icons and secondhand items that act as living art.

The club houses two large bars, a dance floor and VIP lounge areas that include a 1977 Blue Bird yellow school bus, a vintage Boeing 727 jet cabin complete with airplane seating and tray tables and a 1977 Airstream Trailer, as well as a Winnebago with kiddie pool and badminton court in the spacious outdoor patio.

Not many clubs go to this much effort to create as unforgettable an environment as this. Our DJfix reporters have logged many hours in The Pawn Shop Lounge during our forays to Miami, and find the different areas make you feel like you're in different clubs. When you first walk in, you are greeted by a living room setup with multicolored retro couches. Though the living room is inside the main building and shares the same music, the vibe created by the couches and lighting lends itself to people lounging here, where the music is a little less intense. You meander through and next up is the large yellow school bus... yes you can go inside and make out in the back of the bus like you always wanted to do! The bus also separates the Living Room from the main dance floor. Boogie on through and to your left is the insides of an airplane! The photo makes it look like it is contained, but actually the rows of seats are all that's between you and the dancefloor, so you can sit (or play Fooz ball) and not feel left of the action.

You certainly won't miss the Airstream trailer as you head out to the patio... now really, there should be a more expansive name that patio for this outdoor area, which is just as big if not bigger than the inside of the club! It used to be a parkinglot for the old pawn shop, and the asphalt was left, making the Winnebago seem even more realistic. Nothing like grooving to music in these funky settings, and depending on the night of the week, their resident and guest DJs spin everything from rock to house, not to mention the live bands that appear weekly. The Pawn Shop is a unique clubbing experience you should definitely try at least once if you are even in Miami.

Doors open at 10 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. The Pawn Shop Lounge is located at 1222 N.E. Second Avenue, downtown Miami; 305-373-3511; www.thepawnshoplounge.com