Not so long ago, in a nightlife galaxy that seems far, far away, the Beatrice Inn was “The Force” of downtown’s A-list club scene. The low-slung haunt frequented by a famously well-curated mix of hard-partying hipsters, libidinous fashionistas and slumming society monsters was at times reminiscent of the “Star Wars” cantina scene in its woozy, rapturous, late-night prime.
But since the West 12th Street playpen for the beautiful and bleary-eyed was shuttered by the city for overcrowding and building code violations last April, none of the knockoffs vying to replace it — including the now-neutered Jane Hotel, the subterranean Cabin Down Below and faux-rich-kid rec room The Wooly — managed to replicate the Beatrice’s singularly scruffy charms.
If anything, the Beatrice’s absence has been filled by what might be described as “The Death Star” of New York nightlife, the imperious Boom Boom Room, a penthouse lounge perched high atop Vader-esque hotel lord Andre Balazs’ glass-wrapped Standard Hotel.
Boasting a door policy tighter than a supermodel’s abs, the Boom Boom was dubbed “the new Studio 54” by The Daily Beast soon after its glitzy September unveiling. Madonna, Marc Jacobs, Bono, Mick Jagger and assorted swells gaped at its stunning views and luxuriated in its futuristic Rainbow Room vibe. But with no dancing, $25 cocktails and decidedly low-key energy, this staid hot spot’s supremacy seems ripe for a fresh challenge by rebel nightlife forces.
That time has come, as two of the Beatrice’s co-founders, Paul Sevigny and Matt Abramcyk, try to reclaim after-dark dominance. Yes, it seems there will be not one, but two Beatrice offspring birthed in 2010.
Abramcyk has already signed a lease for a cozy, below-street level lounge in the West Village that sounds awfully similar to the suddenly iconic inn that spawned so many imitators.
Sevigny, meanwhile, has looked at several downtown spaces to open with his new partner, Rose Bar impresario Nur Khan, and says he isn’t worried about taking on the seemingly invincible Boom Boom.
“It’s very easy to pick up a crown when it’s lying on the floor,” Sevigny says of the competition. “I’m not scared. I don’t necessarily love hanging out in a hotel. I feel like New Yorkers would rather go to a boutique than a department store. It’s got a great view, but let’s face it — it’s corporate.”
This double shot of Beatrice-ness couldn’t happen soon enough for jaded nightlife observers.
“There’s very little diversity in New York nightlife right now,” says veteran club owner Steve Lewis. “The crowd is pretty homogeneous wherever you go. Beatrice was great, and so far, no one has been able to do what they did. The Jane Hotel, I think, got close. But nothing has replaced the Beatrice just yet.”
Lewis points out that while the Boom Boom and top clubs like Avenue, 1OAK and Butter are quite successful, few attract the cultish following that showed up night after night at the Beatrice. And perhaps none has been more culturally relevant in recent years.
Abramcyk, who co-owns TriBeCa’s Smith & Mills and Warren 77, suggested that his new lounge would rekindle the Beatrice’s decadent living room vibe, perhaps at the expense of the Boom Boom.
“There’s something so sensical and formulaic about having a club at the top of a hotel,” Abramcyk says. “Downtown New York is supposed to be the coolest place in the world. It’s not Los Angeles or Vegas. It’s about being in a stand-alone space, figuring out the most interesting music, and making people feel welcome. It’s not about just getting the credit card machine to charge that crazy, $100,000 bill. I think you lose something there. I don’t like big, shiny places.”
Sadly, a publicist for Balazs claimed the hotel mogul was “traveling” and unable to respond to all the Boom Boom-bashing.
Of course, it’s entirely possible that New York is indeed big enough for both camps. Scott Solish, a nightlife correspondent for Eater NY who frequented both the old Beatrice and the Standard’s 18th-floor fun house, predicts the rivalry won’t end with the Boom Boom exploding like the Death Star.
“I think the overlap is kind of small,” Solish said. “The Beatrice was more of a reaction to New York nightlife in 2006, and the Boom Boom is this gorgeous penthouse space that fits in with the aesthetic of that hotel. The new Beatrice isn’t going to be a reaction to what Andre is doing, it’s going to be Paul and everyone else trying to get their party started. Everyone is just excited to have fun places to hang out at. A conglomeration of places is always better than having one place in every tourist guidebook that everyone knows about.”