Strip District Clubs That Have closed. (Pittsburgh, Clark: club, bus, moving)

[dugdogmaster]

I miss Metropol and all of the great music acts that would play that venue It's that small venue setting that a lot of big name acts like to play, and it's severely lacking in Pittsburgh right now.

[Copanut]

I'm hoping Chauncey's will reopen.

[neurodistortion]

Originally Posted by Geeo

Nightclub areas seem to come and go, not just here but everywhere. Years ago (the 70s) it was Market Square that was hot, before that it was Liberty Avenue in the 50s. Other cities have experienced the same thing: the Flats in Cleveland and Buckhead in Atlanta. Each nightclub chases the latest trend, which never lasts very long.

That's true, even in smaller towns where crime is not really an issue, I don't think I've seen a nightclub that has lasted longer than 10 years around here.

[greg42]

When the thread says "Strip District Clubs" it sounds even more like they might be strip clubs.

[frankgn87]

wow. I was at donnies about 10 years ago and it was an amazing experience. its was open most of the night and the place was hoping at 3 am... Now gone? wow

[dugdogmaster]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

wow. I was at donnies about 10 years ago and it was an amazing experience. its was open most of the night and the place was hoping at 3 am... Now gone? wow

It's the nature of the business, nation wide, clubs come and go with regularity. What could be the hottest place in town one year, has closed the next. Any club that goes for five years or longer is the exception to the rule, and has done really well for itself and it's owners.

[ditchdigger]

What could be the hottest place in town one year, has closed the next. Any club that goes for five years or longer is the exception to the rule, and has done really well for itself and it's owners.

I won't name any names, but I was told that the owner of one of the clubs mentioned above paid for part of the house he was having built with $50,000 cash, delivered in a Giant Eagle grocery bag...

[Benzman66]

I have not confirmed as of yet because of the snow, but word is Sports Rock and Krobar closed for good as of this past Saturday.

[Drover]

I used to hit up the Strip mostly for its brewpubs, Foundry Ale Works in particular, but also Strip Brewery and Valhalla. Valhalla might technically have been in the cultural district (I think "Eleven" is in that space now?), but at any rate is right at the gateway to the Strip District. All three of them are gone now, though IMO Foundry Ale Works was the only true loss to the craft-brewing scene. The other two were still cool places to hang out even if their beer wasn't great. I also used to go to Mullany's Harp and Fiddle for their Celtic jam sessions.

I'm not really the "clubbing" type and the closest to a "club" I went to in the Strip was Roland's. I used to like going there in the afternoons because it had more of a casual pub/restaurant atmosphere before the sun went down. Plus at one time (and perhaps still?) they had the best beer selection on the east end save the Sharp. In fact I'd say they had the Sharp beat in quantity if not necessarily quality. But the evening crowd was raucous and a bit douchebaggy, the music was blisteringly loud (and it leaned heavily toward mullet rock -- ugh!), and the service went straight to hell the minute there were more than about 25 people there.

I went back to Roland's a couple years ago and it was a shell of its former self in terms of the crowd, but the music was still just as loud, what crowd remained was just as douchebaggy, the service still sucked, and the icing on the cake was that the food was abysmal. I honestly don't know how that place hangs on. I vowed I wouldn't be back again, which is too bad because their balcony was one of the best people-watching spots in the summer. Anyway, during that re-visit a couple years ago, the rest of the strip seemed a little more seedy than it was in the 90s. My suspicion was confirmed I went to some random bar just up the way from Roland's... and it was the first and only time I've ever been frisked to enter a bar. That's when I realized how much things had changed.

I recall there being some 1970s-themed club on the Strip... anyone know if it's still there? (ETA: ah, I'm guessing that's the "Have a Nice Day Cafe" that nuwaver said is now closed...)

[AaronPGH]

Originally Posted by neurodistortion

That's true, even in smaller towns where crime is not really an issue, I don't think I've seen a nightclub that has lasted longer than 10 years around here.

Gay clubs have generally done really well in Pittsburgh. I think House of Tilden downtown is coming up on 40 years now? Pegasus turned 30 this year, although it's not called Pegasus anymore. I forget what the new name is. It was supposed to close, but they've kept it open.