The nightclub business is notoriously volatile.
Instant success can be followed swiftly by horrible failure as fickle trendsetters adopt — and then abandon — the latest club.
And that’s if they’re lucky. Some places open and sit quietly for months, waiting for an onslaught of customers that never comes. A solid crew of regulars never forms. Eventually, the lights go out.
By these standards, Suite Two Hundred (1427 Larimer St.) is a rousing success. The Larimer Square spot celebrates its second anniversary tonight with an all-night party.
Paulina Szafranski, vice president of marketing for Suite owners Lotus Concepts, says the club’s prime location is one of the keys to its continuity.
“First and foremost, Suite Two Hundred has the best real estate in Denver,” she says.
Overlooking the tony shopping and dining district, the Suite beckons to party people as a place to unwind after a day downtown. The velvet ropes, sharp bouncers and spotlights attract plenty of attention after dark.
Upstairs, the club’s little booths and banquettes, in addition to a dance floor, keep the Suite straight down the middle in its appeal: Come to dance, or come to just hang out and have a drink. It’s a crowd-pleaser.
Tonight’s birthday bash starts with free drinks at 9 p.m. Until 10, early birds can sample “Peach Bot” cocktails made with Svedka Clementine vodka, peach puree, club soda and real peach garnish.
Next up is a fashion show presented by Cherry Creek North boutique Garbarini. Models from Wilhelmina Denver will strut the runway in the shop’s latest fashions — Garbarini is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, so it’s only fitting that they join in the Suite’s party.
DJ Mick Boogie sets the tone for the evening. An eclectic, all-purpose party DJ, Boogie spins everything from disco and ’80s classics to hip-hop and mashups. He lists mega-celebrities like Jay-Z and mega-corporations like Pepsi as past clients, so expect a custom- tailored set for Suite Two Hundred revelers.
The night closes with a miniature fireworks display and, of course, cupcakes.
Looking to the future, Szafranski says Lotus is looking to expand again soon, into “some of the new, exciting neighborhoods in the metropolitan area.”
For tonight, though, it’s Suite Two Hundred’s party. There’s much more to come.
“I can safely say Suite Two Hundred’s momentum has only become stronger in the last two years,” says Szafranski. “We are just excited to see what the next year will bring, as much as our guests are.”
To get on the guest list or reserve a table for tonight, call 720-560-4433.
As one club celebrates its anniversary, another takes its first steps. The new Rockaway Tavern (2036 Broadway) goes into its first weekend of business tonight.
Co-owned by two former names from the now-defunct 15th Street Tavern and a current Three Kings Tavern partner, the Rockaway promises to bring a blast of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle to the neighborhood.
Jim Norris, of Three Kings, describes it thusly: “Hot rods, motorcycles and live rock ‘n’ roll in the shell of one of Denver’s most notorious gay bars, the Triangle.”
The Rockaway crew remodeled and revamped the old space to include a stage and a separate tiki bar area they’ve dubbed The Bermuda Triangle.
Tonight’s show features Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers with members of local act The Railbenders. On Saturday, stop in for a doubleheader with Git Some and the Buckingham Squares.
It might get loud.
