As a result of this dedication, Pekofsky says the 3,600 square-foot Club Deep is the longest-running nightclub in the area – grossing nearly $1 million annually in revenue.
The average life is two to three years tops, he says. You have to keep reinventing yourself without losing the original concept. You have to know what is in and what is not and be prepared to make changes and try something new.
This begs the question: what is in? What is hot, sexy and successful in South Beach today?
Pekofsky says while House, Dance and R&B can still be heard in the 250-capacity club, and Hip Hop has remained solid in the mix, Reggae has been added more and more to the rotation and Reggaeton a sultry blend of Latin and Reggae music – is turning the club’s unique dance floor atmosphere up a few degrees.
I’m not sure exactly what they’re saying, Pekofsky says of the Reggaeton vocalists, but the girls are loving it.
And all guests are loving Club Deep’s innovative dance floor, an aquarium tank directly under foot and glowing with light that heightens the senses, reinforces the club’s catch slogan Dance on Water and provides even more eye candy under one roof. It was first tested at Faade in 1993 and the rest is history.
The 2,000-gallon freshwater tank is surprisingly low-maintenance, Pekofsky says, although the Japanese Koi and freshwater sharks do require daily feeding. A wet/dry filter keeps the tank clean, and major maintenance is only necessary every six months or so. Although bulletproof acrylic glass keeps both fish and patron safe from incident, Pekofsky says he replaces the top layer of tempered glass every three months to keep the view clear. It also was recently improved by Chauvet LED lighting around its perimeter, which, with strobing effects, has been dazzling guests, Pekofsky says.
We branded the name Club Deep – Dance on Water’ and it’s all over the Internet, says Tina Pekofsky, co-owner. Anyone going on vacation in South Florida searches the net for places to go. The dance floor catches their attention after checking the site and liking what they see, that is pretty much it – they are hooked.
Auggie Mejia, the club’s marketing director, agrees. People come from around the world to see our dance floor, he says.
It’s a Beautiful Business
The tank, attractive as it is, is not the only aesthetic view in Club Deep, though, to be sure.
South Beach is the home to so many beautiful women as well as men, Pekofsky says. South Florida is a destination as well as the home of many celebrities and has some of the hottest modeling agencies.
And when the seemingly endless motorcade of Mercedes, limos, Lamborghinis and Lexus convertibles (to name a few) valet for a visit, you can bet Club Deep is swimming in sex appeal.
Pekofsky says that alluring atmosphere has drawn in numerous celebrities, singers, actors, sports stars and media attention such as video and photo shoots, MTV’s Dismissed, Russell Simmons’ One World Music Beat and even the Travel Channel’s World’s 10 Best Getaways for Singles, during which the club was highlighted.
Beyond the glitz and the glamour, though, what does it take to market such a concept as this amidst so much competition?
While the club’s Web site (clubdeep.com) is key for promotion updates, photo galleries, etc., and flyers are reliable for boosting traffic, Pekofsky says the real marketing gem is the radio – in fact, Pekofsky says no medium, old or new, can match the drawing power of FM radio. Local FM station Power 96 has been working with Club Deep since 1999, and Pekofsky says the relationship has only grown in capability to capture the crowds, all on a set weekly budget.
One example of promotions is my live broadcast on power 96, he says. We started five years ago on a Sunday night – which everyone said was impossible and it is going as strong as it did when we started it. It has also made it possible for us to do other broadcasts on different stations to give customers choices of what nights they want to come and when their favorite station will be there I took a chance, spent the money, and it worked.
Pekofsky says Club Deep was the first to make the Sunday broadcast successful, and still it has outlasted the competition.
Other promotions also are working well. From 10-11 p.m., in order to build a good base crowd, the Pekofskys offer free entrance and free drinks to patrons.
All the other clubs are empty, and ours has a line, Pekofsky says.
After midnight, a cover charge ranging from $10-$20 typically is assessed. Pekofsky also says Ladies Night on Friday and Sunday is a big success. Ladies in by 11 p.m. get drink free until 2 a.m. Of course, the guys are not far behind.
A Profitable Punch
Once that clientele is in the club and off the dance floor, what’s selling behind the bar? Pekofsky and Mejia say high volume traces back to Grey Goose and Red Bull, Hennessey and Hpnotiq, Belvedere, Ketel One, Sour Apple Martinis and the venue’s signature drink. The wildly successful blend of premium and super-premium spirits – created by Mejia and collectively dubbed the South Beach Punch – was even recently written up in The Miami Herald’s Food and Dining section as being the best South Beach drink. Priced at $24 and straying from the South Beach norm that less is more, Pete and Tina Pekofsky say the sweet, red punch is big business.
Everyone needs a specialty drink, she says.
On Saturdays, Club Deep’s all-out Dance night, Mejia says $3 Budweiser and Bud Lights help pack the house, and $3 Sour Apple Martinis – otherwise priced at $10 – draw in an upscale 25-55-year-old demographic who appreciate both the cocktail and the special.
VIP bottle service is always available, typically engineered at a one-bottle minimum per four people. Bottles currently start at $185 and range up to $625 for Cristal, Pekofsky says. Mejia adds that Perrier-Jouet and Dom Perignon also receive a steady push.
I’d say our bottle sales have gone up 150 percent in the last two years, Mejia estimates. It’s the way you market the club. It’s all about making guests feel comfortable and at home.
All Through the Night
That level of comfort keeps guests home away from home until 5 a.m., an early-morning party advantage the Pekofskys say is beneficial on both sides of the bar, in terms of profitability and dance environment satisfaction for diehard fun seekers.
What else could an owner want? Actually, Pete, Tina and company are currently launching a next-door venue called Ruby Lounge (ruby-lounge.com). It is designed for more of a lounge environment, Pekofsky says, and it will have an opening between the two buildings for efficient cross-promotion and traffic flow.
This is very exciting for us, he says. We have never served food in Club Deep before, but again we are listening to our customers and listening to what people want. Plain and simple we got tired of sending people somewhere else to eat. (With Ruby Lounge) we will have Happy Hours and dining all through the night.
NCB
What the f*ck is this article doing in MY blog?