MoJazz, one of Ames’ fastest-growing bars, is celebrating its one-year anniversary beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday.

“It’s going to be a night that we’re going to be saying thank you to the customers that have been going to MoJazz for one year,” said Stan Rivera, co-owner of MoJazz, 2520 Lincoln Way.

Although the bar was first opened in October of 2000, co-owners and brothers Stan and Dwight Rivera decided to schedule the one-year anniversary celebration in January.

“One reason we’re having the anniversary now is that we feel that even though we opened in October, it really didn’t go into effect that people noticed us until January. People were coming back from Christmas break and were like, `let’s go to MoJazz.’ That’s when people started noticing us,” Stan said.

The anniversary will serve as a kickoff to the theme parties MoJazz will throw once a month. At this month’s anniversary celebration the co-owners plan to promote MoJazz’s music and recent renovations, Stan said.

To promote music at the celebration, MoJazz will host three DJs, Eric Martinson, Mike Lambordi and Brent Arndorfer.

“We play about 60 to 70 percent dance music and 30 to 40 percent is more pop, like hip-hop and R&B,” said Brent Arndorfer, sophomore in computer engineering and DJ at MoJazz.

“There are really good DJs at MoJazz,” said Brett Immel, bartender at MoJazz and junior in apparel merchandising, design and production. “It takes you away from Ames. It’s almost like a city club, more like Chicago than Iowa.”

During the past year, MoJazz has undergone renovations.

“We renovated our basement, which completely looks different,” Stan Rivera said. “Before it looked a little bit run down; we didn’t put much work into it. This time we put more work in it. We added a pool table down there. It has a cleaner look, a sharper look.”

The new and improved appearance is not the only thing to change at MoJazz.

“The crowd has changed,” Arndorfer said. “When it first opened it was a more defined, high class crowd, but as they added space a more typical crowd came. They look for every type of music. It’s brought in more of a dancing crowd this fall and spring.”

Immel says his favorite thing about working at MoJazz is dealing with the people.

“The clientele are generally fun people and out to have a good time,” he said. “They’re out to party pretty good.”

Both Rivera brothers believe it is the combination of the music, employees and appearance at MoJazz that attracts students.

“The whole atmosphere draws students to MoJazz,” Stan Rivera said. “There’s not a bar here in Ames that has hardwood floors, not just in the main area but on the dance floor. Hardwood floors, wood everywhere, nice mirrors, brick walls, not every place has that.”

Both Stan and Dwight said the employees are an important part of the atmosphere.

“If you look at our personnel and compare them to personnel at People’s, you’ve got 30- or 35-year-old bartenders behind the bar, compared to us. We’ve got 22- or 23-year-olds. They’re keeping up with the crowd, so that makes it a little more unique than any other bar,” Dwight said.

Ryan Talley, junior in marketing and management, said he thinks the bar has a variety of attractive qualities

“It’s a different bar, more classy and nicer,” he said. “People can do more than sit and drink. It’s a good place to dance.”

The Riveras plan to renovate MoJazz each year so students will not become bored with it. Part of their future plan includes adding a couple of stages so the dance floor will not be flat and adding a VIP section for their regular customers.

“We still have more plans to keep decorating and just keeping up with music, keeping up with atmosphere as far as bringing a good atmosphere here, a unique atmosphere that will always be unique,” Stan said.