The Playboy Club is closing just a year after its Midtown revival.
Operator Merchants Hospitality plans to convert the space to a location of Merchants Steakhouse, plus a performance venue that’s branded as Live Nation Theatre.
Apparently the club had been banking on people visiting with their expense accounts. But, no dice: the Playboy branding wasn’t drawing enough business on the weekdays.
The Playboy Club opened next to the Cachet Boutique New York hotel at 512 West 42nd St., between 41st and 42nd Streets, last September — returning the famous (and controversial) club to the city after a 30 years absence. It included a restaurant portion and memberships, with annual fees from $5,000 to $100,000. Those memberships will transfer to Live Nation, or Merchants will offer reimbursements.
The revival focused more on food, bringing on a Per Se and Bar Masa alum for the menu. Critic Robert Sietsema found “prosaic food of good quality at fantastically inflated prices” on his visit.
Many say that the MeToo movement has hurt the Playboy brand, but the NYC Playboy Club was really just an incredibly overpriced restaurant aimed at tourists.
Playboy Club will turn into the new restaurant and venue soon.
The Gotham Reporter 