Maybe Ames just isn’t tripping your trigger this weekend. Why not grab a few friends, hop in the car, designate a driver and head to The Love Shack in Des Moines?

The Shack, located at 625 East Court Ave. in the heart of our state capital, somehow combines a dance floor, venue for both national and local bands, lots of beer and a slew of bar expertise into a three-floor, strobe-lighted, neon-signed nightclub with attitude.

A trio, Nancy Sevage, Jack Hanrahan and Vicki Robertson, co-own several clubs in the Midwest: three Hurricanes in Omaha (which is to open this fall), Lincoln and Kansas City, The Lone Star (also in KC), and the chain of six Guitars and Cadillacs. The three added The Love Shack to the list in mid-June.

“It’s our plan to take over the world,” Hanrahan explained. “The plan was to make it another Hurricane, but we decided to make it The Love Shack. It’s extra special because of the uniqueness of the building. It’s three, actually four things in one, when you count the outdoor stage.”

The distinctive layout of the building itself makes it an ideal venue for bands, as well as a great place to hang out with friends and have a few brews. The bottom floor has a capacity of about 350 and also features pool tables for billiards aficionados, a fully stocked bar for those attacks of thirst and a dance floor, if the band so moves you.

Up a dozen or so stairs, on the main level, rests another complete bar, more pool tables, a jukebox and several tables and booths, perfect for anything from cozy chats to drinking games.

“The middle floor is astounding to me,” Hanrahan said. “It’s become a gathering place. I thought it would just be a breather from up or downstairs.”

The top level resembles the dark, strobe-flashing underground club from that episode of “90210,” without all the cigarette smoke and annoying people. There are real deejays, not the kind that just plug in a CD and hit play, but people who make their own mixes and oversee turntables.

On any given night, specialities such as Erasure, Pet Shop Boys and the Doobie Brothers (yes, you read right) blast out of the speakers.

“The sound and light show become an experience,” Hanrahan said. “[Deejays] like to do some of the songs that [not only] someone who’s into, say, Whitney Houston can enjoy, but also someone who just loves to dance can enjoy it.”

Many Love Shack workaholic employees have transplanted themselves from Kansas City and now call Des Moines home.

“Des Moines’ been very, very friendly to people,” Hanrahan said.

Obviously, the staff’s experience in running a music venue and tending bar make The Love Shack a highly efficient, fun, they-totally-know-what-they’re-doin’ kind of place.

“We own and operate 11 nightclubs,” Hanrahan said. “That gives us a little more power than someone with one club.”

The owners’ connections from their other nightclubs have earned them a reputation as professionals, and they are able to book bands that might not otherwise make a stop in our fair state.

“Bands are willing to travel, say, four to five hours between cities and play to secondary markets,” Hanrahan said. “In the old days, [a band might say], ‘Oh, maybe we’ll hit that after the record cools off.’ Now, some band can go from Denver, to Kansas City, up to Omaha and Lincoln and then up to Des Moines when they ordinarily wouldn’t even stop.”

The Shack also supports local and Ames bands, including Grooveyard, Great Big Freak and Junk Poet, who play on a stage on the lowest level of the building.

Upcoming national acts include 311 August 30, Electric Light Orchestra September 10, Mojo Nixon on the 14th and Punkinhead September 22. They will try to use the outdoor stage as much as possible, weather permitting, since capacity is about 1,000, much more, obviously, than inside.

“We’ve very excited to be bringing in these national concerts,” Hanrahan said. “We’ll bring in a lot of alternative acts that you hear on college radio.”

The Love Shack is one of the few venues that makes an honest effort to extend a hand to those unfortunate enough to be born too late to get into most bars. For example, the 311 show will be open to all ages.

“It’s nice to include people under 21 at certain shows,” Hanrahan said. “They shouldn’t have to see their favorite bands just on MTV or the radio.”

The club is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 4 p.m. until 2 a.m. For info on tickets or shows, call The Love Shack at 280-1067.