Ms Stevens has taken over the 18th Amendment, now called The Crypt, a hidden gothic-themed cocktail bar down a laneway on Camp Street.

"It was one of those opportunities that would be really silly to pass up - a whirlwind opportunity," she said.

Ms Stevens grew up in Creswick and has been working in the Ballarat hospitality scene for the past 15 years, including at a Thai restaurant on Sturt Street.

She said the move away from food and into a cocktail bar has allowed her to experiment more.

"I like the creative side of things ... it's very different to food," she said.

"People can be picky with food but with drinks they are a lot more chill."

The move to a goth aesthetic is something Ms Stevens is "quite passionate about", she said.

"I have been goth since I was nine and have always been interested in the subculture."

Ms Stevens said the goth scene is characterised by a mysterious and dark style inspired by Victorian architecture and vampire lore.

"That is the direction I see [The Crypt] going in," she said.

With the news of long-standing businesses closing in Ballarat in the past fortnight, Ms Stevens said there have been some nerve wracking moments when taking over the new location.

While she has noticed people are spending less, she is also hopeful she can create a space where lots of different people feel welcome.

"That's really important to me," Ms Stevens said.

"I like to have a safe space for all those alternative kids like myself, who want to go out to a place and not feel judged and feel part of this little community."

Through a collaboration with a new Ballarat theatre company, Overlook Productions, The Crypt will be hosting a series of performances of an original play I See You.

Producer Adam Turnbull said the one-act play is set in a secondary school on parent-teacher interview night.

Mr Turnbull said the space is a perfect match, an intimate space for a performance which "turns sort of dark" and deals with a lot of emotion.

The sold-out show is not the first to seek out an alternative theatre venue - generally Her Majesty's Theatre can be expensive to hire and has been out of action for upgrades.

Mr Turnbull said venues like The Crypt offer a different experience for the audience and said it was a good collaboration between the two businesses.