When it came to deciding what should be done with the ground floor of the Moline Club, which she has owned since 1990, Narveen Virdi wanted to keep some things natural.

That's why she created the Phoenix Art Gallery, which opened in August.

"It's very nice that we can give a dedicated space only to art, visual art, without having to compromise the space," she said.

The club was founded in 1907 by Charles Deere, son of John Deere, and its second floor was a haven for Moline's elite while the ground floor was leased to a variety of retailers through the years.

After nearly two decades of different configurations, Virdi decided an art gallery would be the best use for the first-floor space.

"Moline does not have a gallery and this is extremely opportune," she said.

The primary reasons for the decision were its high ceilings and visibility from 5th Avenue, she said.

Her daughter was behind the push, she said, modeling the space after the famed Bullseye Gallery in Portland, Ore.

"There's a bit of the Oregon spirit," Virdi added.

Her daughter also found a circa-1912 door to hang on the front of the gallery to go along with its turn-of-the-20th century theme, she said.

Financial obligations are not as large as with other galleries, she said, since the top two floors are rented for wedding receptions and other events.

"It's more like a co-op, not a gallery where there's a huge commission," she explained.

She made the rounds among artists and art shows, passing out circulars about the gallery. The first exhibitor was Hugh Lifson, a Cornell College instructor who uses computer graphics and plastic wrap as his media.

The high ceilings and black walls provide for a dramatic presentation, said Talya Arbisser, whose photography will go on display beginning later this week.

"I love the openness of it," she said. "I like the black walls since a lot of my things look good on black. It's a really nice kind of area to branch into, the space as a whole."

The bottom floor has room for two galleries, Virdi said. Once Arbisser's run is completed, several other artists have expressed an interest, including one who displays prints on cans of olive oil.

Several artists from Chicago also have approached her about showing their works at the Phoenix.

"This is not restricted to the local area," Virdi said. "It's just for good art."

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• Arbisser’s exhibit features America, Amsterdam, Australia