We don’t feel too bad that we haven’t been invited to the parties this weekend at the old Rascals/Red Cheetah nightclub, because landlord Dick Grabowsky says he hasn’t been invited either. But, standing outside the under-construction this morning, Grabowksy did confirm that he signed a new tenant, which plans to open a “fancy” restaurant and nightclub there under the name Club 501. (The property is at 501 Bloomfield Ave. in Montclair.)
The “Grand Opening” sign on the old Cheetah marquee is a bit of a misnomer, because the new venue is a long way from finished and Rascals Comedy Club is still emblazoned on the canopy. There’s no real public opening in sight, Grabowsky confirms. “I don’t know why they put the sign up, ‘Grand Opening.’ They’re doing some pre-opening parties.”
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that Grabowsky has signed a classier tenant than Ed Rodriguez, who ran out of town in a hurry two and a half years ago after running his publicly-traded company into Chapter 11. Last December, Rodriguez was indicted by the SEC in a stock-manipulation scheme involving National Lampoon.
The SEC’s complaint alleges that, from at least March 2008 through June 2008, Laikin, Barsky, Rodriguez and Dougherty engaged in a fraudulent scheme to manipulate the market for the common stock of National Lampoon. Specifically, Laikin, along with Barsky, paid kickbacks in exchange for generating or causing purchases of National Lampoon stock to Rodriguez, a corrupt stock promoter, and the CW, whom Laikin, Barsky and Rodriguez believed had connections to corrupt registered representatives.
And we complained about plastic cups.
Hmm, they’ve been talking about the opening of this place on Z100 all week…definitely didn’t sound like a “friends and family” event. Is that liquor license even active?
What a shame. I was really looking forward to the tap room that was rumored to be going in.
Ugh. What a waste of a great location.
It would be nice to have a more cultured venue like The Whole Theater back. Who needs another nightclub in town when the Diva/Comfort Lounge fulfills all your sleaze needs just a few blocks away.
For some reason it really irks me when people name a place after its address. Come on, put any effort into it! That’s just boring.
I REALLY wish that when Baristanet got the new comment-loggy-inny-system, it didn’t make it so that all the names are gone from all the comments on older posts.
My neighbour has suggested “Club Spanky”. I’ve seen the episodes of Little Rascals, and I concur. Its a fine choice.
Of course, “Club Spanky” may already be taken by Dressing for Pleasure’s basement venue.
No croiag, that’s “Club Spank-Me”.
I stand corrected.
You bitch.
A nightclub? Really? We need a nightclub like The Beatles need a bicycle. Agree w/ GnM. Something like the Tap Room would have at least had character and been a place for all walks of people to gather in.
How can they open without transfering the license.
Or did i miss something.
After ‘Red Cheetah’ flew into the ground, what makes the new owners think another nightclub will succeed?
I think a ‘Western’ style saloon with swinging doors, a piano, pretty girls in ruffled dresses, card tables and a little ‘gun play’ from time to time would be really cool!
Club2010: Unless dick is operating the place himself, which from this article doesn’t sound probable…they can’t legally. They can’t even have some “private parties” technically.
I heard that some group took over the spot, and I haven’t heard anything about a license transfer, has anybody else.. I guess he thinks he can do anything in town. I heard a comedy club was coming and got excited but I guess not
has anybody spoken to the new tenants, well i have and the plane according to the business owner is to have a sports bar and grill on the first floor and a club downstairs. the club will only be open fridays & saturdays. so before we pass judgements on the place & the new owners lets give it a chance because god knows montclair needs a sports bar.