Owner Moses Sabatino has opened Pop Nightclub—a new dance club and lounge with a retro vibe—in the Richmond Street West space formerly occupied by Fluid.
"After 15 years, it was time to put the name Fluid to rest. People looked at the space as a dinosaur based on the name, and I felt that was an injustice," Sabatino said. "Pop is fresh, new, and innovative—a clean new club to spruce up the [entertainment] district once again."
Sabatino collaborated with interior designer Irfan Bukhari to revamp the club, which reopened in mid-February. The pair created two completely different spaces in the venue's two rooms. "On one side we tried to go really high energy," Sabatino said. "It's very colourful, a bit of a blast from the past with a disco feel. It's a true club. On the other side we went with a more posh feel and created a high-end lounge environment."
The main room, which houses the dance floor, has two bars. Red leather booths and prints of Andy Warhol's famous works line the wall. The adjoining room has a warm palette with cream furnishings and carpeting in a sunken V.I.P. space. Bukhari covered the walls with patterned velvet wallpaper and used a bamboo veneer to wrap the bar.
The venue holds as many as 700. Catering can be arranged.