Return Of The Roxy?

OK, I realize about once a year I do a post about my favorite gay mega dance club possibly reopening - but this time it REALLY might happen.

If you recall my earlier writing, THE place to be on Saturday nights if you were gay in NYC was the Roxy. The roller-skating-rink-slash-nightclub ruled Saturday nights from 1991 until the night it closed in 2007. The club shut down due to its proximity to the High Line (see below). Developers wanted to demolish the Roxy and build condos which could take advantage of the views of the park next door.

But the real estate market dried up just as fast as New York nightlife. Ever since 2007, there has been no big gay dance club night in all of New York City. Sure, there is Splash and and a few other places to dance, but in my day "Splish" (as we called it) was the place you went for cocktails BEFORE heading over to Roxy. Then again, I am old as dirt.


Former club owner Gene DeNino has reportedly submitted a liquor license application, and rumors are he might team up with former Saturday night promoter John Blair to drum up enough investors to get the club up and running again. The rent is said to be around $60,000 a month - but that could be easily covered on one Saturday night with 3,000 queens paying $20 a piece at the door just to get in.


Then again, every queen in NYC thinks they are fabulous and deserve comped admission (or at least reduced-priced admission) - so maybe "making the rent" isn't as easy as it looks on paper.

Regardless, I am declaring for all the world to hear: Even though I stopped going to clubs many years ago - I WOULD drag my fat ass back to Roxy. I have so many memories (well, not really memories ... more like VAGUE IMPRESSIONS) of good times there. And if my bartender Cathy goes back at her post (and I wouldn't be surprised if she did), then I might even consider making a Saturday night habit out of the Roxy again. Lordy, those kids HAVE NO IDEA what kind of mess that could be.


If Roxy happens to open up before October 23rd, we will take a trip there for Drunken Dust Bunny Weekend II. Plan ahead...