Bungalow 8

Summary

Bungalow 8 was an exclusive nightclub chain with locations in Manhattan's West Side, London's West End, and Amsterdam's nightlife neighborhood Leidseplein. The New York location in particular was popular with celebrities in the early 2000s.[1][2][3][4][5] Frequent guests included George Clooney, Bill Clinton, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Zelda Kaplan, David Beckham, Peter Crouch and Nicole Richie.[6][7][8][2][9] In the interest of privacy, Bungalow 8 had a strict no photography rule.[10]

Locations edit

New York edit

Amy Sacco opened Bungalow 8 in 2001 in a small garage in Chelsea, Manhattan with décor inspired by the bungalows at The Beverly Hills Hotel.[8][11] The club closed annually for renovations, which in part fed frequent speculation that Sacco was selling or closing the business.[12] The club's popularity peaked between 2005 and 2007 before closing in 2009 under the guise of renovations. It was never directly announced that Bungalow 8 was permanently closed.[13][14] The brand was purchased in 2012 by LDV Hospitality and plans to reopen in another location were set into motion.[15][13] LDV filed for a liquor license as a gastropub rather than as a club or lounge and were careful to keep the name Bungalow 8 under wraps, as Sacco had problems with neighborhood complaints at the previous location. When the Community Board learned the new addition to the neighborhood was indeed Bungalow 8, they pushed back, leading to their liquor license being temporarily frozen.[16][17][7] After back-and-forth between LDV and the Community Board, LDV opened under a different name, No. 8, having agreed not to hire Sacco as a consultant, publicist, contractor, or employee.[8] Despite this, Sacco hosted a number of exclusive parties, informally under the Bungalow 8 banner, and several Community Board members saw her working on-site nightly.[8][18][19][7][20] Since the business still called itself a gastropub, LDV was able to circumvent neighborhood expectations for nightclubs and lounges. No. 8 again faced pushback due to community concerns about insufficient security for the number of guests and about garbage left out overnight.[21] Despite this, No. 8 remained open until 2016.[22]

London edit

Sacco opened a second location in London's Covent Garden area at the St Martins Lane Hotel in 2007.[6] Unlike its New York counterpart, this club was designed to be members-only.[6] It lost its license in 2011 and closed.[8]

Amsterdam edit

Bungalow 8 opened in Amsterdam in 2009 in the nightlife-heavy Leidseplein area.[23][3] The new location was designed by Winka Dubbeldam.[24] It closed in 2013.[25][26]

Sydney edit

Bungalow 8 opened in Sydney in 2003. Located at the edge of a wharf in Sydney Harbour the interior of Bungalow 8 was designed as a 'pacific' taverna. Conceived as a sea of yellow light reflecting off a black split bamboo texture the interior space mediates the intensity of the Australian sunlight by day and becomes a magical painting by night with a dance floor that attracts the best movers and shakers in the region.

Pop-ups edit

Sacco held a number of Bungalow 8 pop-ups at festivals including the Venice Film Festival starting in 2010, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, and the Cannes Film Festival.[27][28][29][30][8] In 2013, Beulah London and Bungalow 8 collaborated on a pop-up at the Belgraves Hotel on Chesham Place ahead of London Fashion Week.[31] The Venice Biennale, Art Basel, and the Oscars have also been followed by Bungalow 8 events.[32][33][34][35]

In popular culture edit

In the fourth season (2002) of Sex and the City, Carrie refers to Bungalow 8 as a "completely pretentious, members-only, tiny, crowded club that you need a key to get into."[36][5][8] The same year, P. Diddy's Coast 2 Coast remix of "Welcome to Atlanta" includes the lyrics: "Sunday, we layin' low at the Halo, sippin' Cris and we straight/Monday, we go to Bungalow 8."[37][8] Lauren Weisberger' 2005 novel Everyone Worth Knowing is set primarily at Bungalow 8 in New York[38][8] and the pilot episode of Gossip Girl, Serena refers to dancing on the tables at Bungalow 8.[39] In 2008, the film August shows the main character waking up at Bungalow 8 on 9/11[40] and a fifth season episode of The Office has Pam Beesly joking about going to Bungalow 8 with John Mayer.[41] The nightclub Maisonette 9 in Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony was based on Bungalow 8.[42][43] Sacco voiced Larissa Slalom, a radio guest and nightclub impresario heard on the in-game radio station WKTT.[44]

References edit

  1. ^ O'Reilly, Kara (13 December 2009). "The world's best bars". The Times. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b Grigoriadis, Vanessa (29 June 2003). "A Chelsea Girl Makes a Name All Over Town". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b Cohan-Miccio, Leila (24 August 2009). "Tom Colicchio's New Ad; Bungalow 8 Abroad". Grub Street. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Bungalow 8". Time Out. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  5. ^ a b Petrarca, Emilia (4 November 2021). "Disco Is Back: A night at the door with the legendary bouncer". Grub Street. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Freeman, Hadley (19 January 2007). "Queen of clubs". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Katz, Mathew (3 May 2012). "Bungalow 8 Hid Identity to Get Liquor License, Community Board Says". DNA Info. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Morris, Bob (13 June 2012). "The Empress Is In". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  9. ^ Solish, Scott (16 February 2012). "Zelda Kaplan, Nightlife Fixture, Dies During Fashion Week". Eater New York. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  10. ^ Gray, Billy (2 January 2014). "Clubs Ban Photos, Putting Off Some Instagram and Selfie Fans". New York Times. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  11. ^ Ryzik, Melena (5 November 2006). "Dance Hall Daze". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Bungalow Renovates While Neighbors Go to Pieces". Grub Street. 10 July 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  13. ^ a b Lopez, Linette (24 April 2012). "One Of The Wildest Parties In New York Has Been Resurrected — Bungalow 8 Is Back". Insider. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  14. ^ Solish, Scott (24 April 2012). "Bungalow 8 Finds New Space, Will Open In May". Eater New York. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  15. ^ Solish, Scott (1 May 2012). "LDV Buys Bungalow 8 Brand, Amy Sacco Consulting". Eater New York. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  16. ^ Morabito, Greg (11 May 2012). "LDV Hospitality Scraps Plans for New Bungalow 8". Eater New York. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  17. ^ Katz, Mathew (11 May 2012). "Outcry Forces Owners to Ditch Bungalow 8's Celebrity Brand for New Pub". DNA Info. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  18. ^ Katz, Mathew (8 June 2012). "Whitney Fundraisers Host Swank Afterparty At Banned 'Bungalow 8'". DNA Info. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  19. ^ Katz, Mathew (31 May 2012). "Bungalow 8 Maven Amy Sacco Rekindles Ties With Controversial Bar". DNA Info. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  20. ^ Solish, Scott (31 May 2012). "Amy Sacco's New Project No. 8 Preps For Big Opening". Eater New York. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  21. ^ Katz, Mathew (13 June 2012). "Amy Sacco Gets Cut of Chelsea Hotspot No. 8's Profits, Owners Say". DNA Info. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  22. ^ Morabito, Greg (15 December 2016). "Vanity Fair Burns Trump Grill, Tim Ho Wan Opens Tomorrow, and More Intel". Eater New York. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  23. ^ "Bungalow 8 Amsterdam" (in Dutch). Trendalert. 30 June 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  24. ^ "Which Way Design: Seven Telling Events for the Fall". Fast Company. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  25. ^ "Closing party Bungalow8". Partyflock. 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  26. ^ "Bungalow 8". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  27. ^ Glazer, Mikey (15 May 2014). "Cannes Parties: 11 Hottest Invites at the Festival". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  28. ^ Gardner, Chris (2 September 2016). "Bungalow 8 Founder Amy Sacco Hosts Festival Pop-ups in Venice, Toronto While Toasting Venue's 15th Anniversary". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  29. ^ "Bungalow 8". The Handbook. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  30. ^ Baum, Gary (15 August 2012). "Pop-Up Club Bungalow 8 Heads to Toronto (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  31. ^ "Beulah London and Bungalow 8 pop-up launch party". Tatler. 14 February 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  32. ^ "Jennifer Hudson, Hayden Panettiere, Megan Fox and More Spotted Out and About—Week of March 1". OK Magazine. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  33. ^ "Bungalow 8 Oscar Pop Up". LA GUest List. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  34. ^ Viveros-Faune, Christian (12 June 2013). "Milla Jovovich, Leonardo Dicaprio, Mayassa Al-Thani and The New Art Stars". Newsweek Magazine. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  35. ^ Lim, Samantha (4 December 2013). "Miami's most stylish 2013". Style Caster. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  36. ^ Paiella, Gabriella (6 June 2018). "I Think About This a Lot: Sex and the City Edition Fifteen writers share the moments that have stuck with them over the years". The Cut. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  37. ^ Kramer, Kyle (5 August 2013). "The Best Shout-Outs to Defunct NYC Clubs in Rap Lyrics". Complex. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  38. ^ "Everyone Worth Knowing". Kirkus Reviews. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  39. ^ Marikar, Sheila (19 September 2007). "'Gossip Girl': Teen Drama So Adult, So Aspirational". ABC News. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  40. ^ Lee, Jennifer 8 (18 January 2008). "The Irresistible Urge to Film New York as Gritty". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 September 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  41. ^ "THE OFFICE (2005–2013): SEASON 5, EPISODE 1 - WEIGHT LOSS - FULL TRANSCRIPT". subslikescript. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  42. ^ "Xbox World 360 Preview". GTA4.net. 7 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  43. ^ "Ending on a high". Esquire. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  44. ^ Grand Theft Auto IV manuel for the Playstation 3 (Game manuel) (in French). Rockstar Games. 2008. p. 13n.

40°45′02.8″N 74°00′11.1″W / 40.750778°N 74.003083°W / 40.750778; -74.003083