A year and a day. That's how long Club irge owner Holly DeAngelo waited to reopen her nightclub after it was closed at its downtown location.
After the Holland Flowers-sponsored ribbon-cutting ceremony in the afternoon, more than 200 patrons walked through the door of the newly opened club for men's night. Not to be outdone, more than 300 attended irge's first women's night on Saturday.
"We were very happy with the numbers," DeAngelo said. "I'd like to see the same crowd this upcoming weekend."
Celebrity songwriter and urban and soul music artist Pepper Mashay was on hand both nights, coming on stage at midnight to play her hit, "Dive in the Pool."
"(Mashay) was fantastic," DeAngelo said. "We got really good compliments and feedback about her."
The venue, at 717 S. Main St. in Academy Plaza in Bradford, is 4,800 square feet, has a 500-square-foot dance floor, 700-square-foot bar area, two pool tables, 50-inch plasma television, and holds a capacity of over 400 people, a number twice as large as her previous location above the now defunct Trattoria Al Forno.
DeAngelo opened Club irge in downtown Haverhill in January 2008 and ran it until July 2009, when city officials learned that the club was operating under Al Forno's food license, even though the club didn't serve much, if any, food at all during her year there.
The club owner, already planning to move to Bradford by that time, handed over the license to the city and continued with her plans to move.
"There is just so much parking (in Academy Plaza) compared to the last spot," DeAngelo said. "Plus, it's a great location."
By the end of the summer in 2009, what was a martial arts studio became the newest version of Club irge, as DeAngelo signed a five-year lease that will keep her club at the Bradford location until 2014.
"It was good timing," she said.
The club, which caters to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, will feature a mixed night on Thursday, open 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., a men's night on Friday, open 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and women's night on Saturday, open from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
President of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce James Jajuga said the Chamber hopes to recruit DeAngelo to get Club irge to become a charter member, but understands how much financial effort has been put in just to get the club off the ground.
"They've spent considerable amounts of time and money," he said. "We're just very happy they're there."
DeAngelo is hoping to draw people to Club irge from all across the region.
"All over," she said. "Southern Maine, New Hampshire, Boston, Worcester. This is the only gay and lesbian club within 30 minutes of here."
The club will have a cover charge, but the amount is yet to be determined, and there will be special rates depending on if a guest RSVPs online, says club promoter Beth McGurr, who also added that while the club doesn't currently have a website, "clubirge.com" is in the works.
Club irge will employ four security guards, six bartenders — three men on Friday and three women on Saturday — and four barbacks, while playing Top-40 hits and disc jockey remixes on the weekend. Thursday, the mixed night, is designed to be more laid-back with an all-request music lineup in addition to the Top-40 pop songs.
"I'd love to see people just come out on Thursday, play some pool, watch the flat screen," DeAngelo said.
DeAngelo, who says she's wanted to be a club owner since she was 16, is excited about having a place to cater to the GLBT community.
"I feel great about it," she said. "I'd like to give back to the gay and lesbian community, to give people a place to feel comfortable and to be who they are."
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