Circle Nightclub Owners To Open New Spot In Chelsea: Report

CHELSEA, NY — The owners of the Korean nightclub Circle, which shut its doors last weekend, are opening a new club in Chelsea, Eater reports.

Circle, located at 145 W. 41st St. near Byrant Park, was legendary for being a popular, upbeat club that was modeled after clubs in Korea. The club, which has been called 'an epicenter of Korean nightlife in New York,' shut its doors on Friday thanks to a rent hike, which has claimed so many other beloved New York businesses.

Bobby Kwak, a partner in the club, told Eater that Circle was force to close because they couldn't afford the new lease on the club.

Instead, he says, they're opening Mission Nightclub in a bigger space at 229 W. 28th St. Kwak said it was important for Circle to have a second life as Mission Nightclub because the space was welcoming and focused on Asians and Asian Americans.

"The Asian community, they hate to admit it, but they loved Circle," Kwak told Eater. "It’s like a safe haven for them. It’s kind of like Cheers. …that’s what Circle was to the Asian community. People were regulars were there because they felt a sense of comfort. They felt a sense of home. It was a place where people in the Asian community were able to connect with each other."

You can read Eater's full report here.

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