Late Night Real Estate: A Nightclub Brought Joy to Omaha
Right now, investing in a nightclub in Omaha—or anywhere!—doesn’t make sense. But here at Indoor Pool Real Estate, at the intersection of hopeful reality and full-throttle escapism, we have faith that sometime soon, the light-up dance floor will rise again.
That is why this week, courtesy of Very Famous TV Beauty Host Sparkle_Angel737, we have a gem for you, a club in Omaha—and this one’s really got something. 1516 Jones Street is built only to be a sexy club, and it’s that commitment to function that shines. The otherwise obscure white-door entrance is flanked by glass blocks, and the inside is like a ’90s sports arena for dancing with Crown Royal floors and Miami baby blues and pinks.
It used to be Club Joy, and curiously little is found about what seemed to be a pretty big staple of Omaha nightlife for several years. Not even a Facebook page dedicated to the club sheds much light, just a description for those who already knew: “A space to collect old Videos/Images/Documents of JOY and to keep them safe on the web forever and ever… *evil laugh* MUHAHAHA” No opening or closing dates were to be found, just hazy recollections. A commenter on an Omaha forum left a comment in 2010 saying, “Does anyone remember the foam parties at Club Joy? I ruined a good pair of shoes there once, but (clears throat), was it ever worth it….”
But in a 2004 issue of The Advocate talking to pride parade grand marshals, Club Joy owner Eric Andersen was interviewed. “I want people to have a fun, safe place to go,” Andersen, a travel insurance industry worker by day, told the magazine. Talking about both clubs and pride parades, he said, “Both should be places where all types of people come together. We should all be able to get along and be respectful of each other. That’s what we hope for at gay pride [events], and that’s what we try to do in the club. It should be a joy.”
With three parking lots, glass blocks indoors and out, 2 neon back-lit bars, and all the trappings of night-time ambiance, this can be yours for $995,000 or $16 PSF/year to restore to a place for performances like this. Bring back Joy!
Listing courtesy of Baron Commercial Real Estate Brokerage.
January 21, 2021
In "Late Night Real Estate"