Plush nightclub closes after 14 years

[thelakelander]

I thought Fat Kat had already closed?

[AuditoreEnterprise]

From Feb. but this would have been enough for me to shut it down if it is still open. http://www.news4jax.com/news/police-investigating-multiple-shooting-at-fat-cat/24510866

[coredumped]

I don't think plush really had any gang activity, but I recall a shooting there in the news. Really I'd say no worse than any other club in Jacksonville. I'm happy to see it go because I think it's a black eye on the Plaza. So much potential and so many residents in the area it's a shame it's not fully occupied. Maybe now that will change.

[IrvAdams]

That plaza is old and historic, would like to see some tender restoration efforts with the signage and facade.

[IrvAdams]

The Rat on JU Campus was a big place for punk college students, the Reflex nightclub was out there, Playground South on Arlington was where Southern Fried Rock was really performed, Regency Mall had a twin theatre, there was a Drag Queen Bar right in the middle of Arlington, the Gazebo Theatre did both movies and performances, there were a score of underground book shops and places along University Boulevard,

Annie Tiques was in the far parking lot of Regency, there was a triplet theatre right on Arlington Expressway where club Evolutions moved, and pretty regular art shows in Regency Mall.

Yes, and at various times there was the Sailmaker Restaurant, Calico Jacks, Fridays, Darryl's, Thunderbirds Lounge, Steak and Ale, Jax Liquors Bar/Package, Bennigans, Houlihans, Chi-Chi's, the list is surprisingly long. Regency Square and the Arlington Expressway corridor is only a shade of its former party self nowadays.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

I don't think plush really had any gang activity, but I recall a shooting there in the news. Really I'd say no worse than any other club in Jacksonville. I'm happy to see it go because I think it's a black eye on the Plaza. So much potential and so many residents in the area it's a shame it's not fully occupied. Maybe now that will change.

ah okay, so question is, and you may not know, but worth a shot. What is keeping people from going in there? I mean clubs usually operate later in the evening when most normal hours businesses are closed. Any particular reason why it's so barren?

[thelakelander]

The neighborhood's demographics, plaza's age and condition. Strip malls typically don't have a long self line once the main anchors abandon them. This one has been around since the 1950s and now it and the surrounding neighborhood are in decline. The population they used to serve is now being supported by newer centers east of Regency.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

ah okay thank you for that information

[Coolyfett]

I used to go to Plush, Rain, Leopard Lounge, Fat Kat. Its the hip hop urban crowd that sets the tone in these places. One thing I never used to like was how the DJs made it a fun place for the thug criminal types. DJs would actually gas the crowd up to fight each other. Ive seen this sort of thing happen many times with the Cool Running Crew Djs, they brought the same vibe to Club 5 in 5 points. They never catered to the young blacks who had good jobs or went to school. It catered to that typical hood person with no future or no ambitions. The biggest rap artist to these patrons is Lil Boosie from Louisiana.  Not a Jay Z, Snoop Dogg or Drake, those guys would be considered to soft to have a strong fanbase in Jax. The Cool Runninh crew would blatantly & subliminally promote violence to their crowd. It always felt unsafe n dangerousn there.

[I-10east]

^^^Well said Cooly. I agree with everything that you said. That's exactly what goes on at places like that. Some other defunct ghetto places are T-Birds, Kartouche, After Eleven and Club Steppin' Out. If you are a decent black person, you're considered a 'lame'. To fit in, you must be be the typical Southern thug, with gold teeth, dreads, pants down your ass, Jordans, whorish appearance etc. 

The black community continues to regress because of these thugged out people within; As long as decent blacks countenance these actions (like most do) our reputation will continue to be severely tarnished. Far as I'm concerned, these criminal types should be called out, and excommunicated from the black community!