Clubbing in Greenpoint

Last week’s Village Voice featured Daphne Carr’s Love and Warsaw: Two thriving Greenpoint dance clubs vie for Polish nightlife supremacy, about the Polish club scene in Brooklyn.

The article focused on the rivalry between Club Europa (98-104 Meserole Avenue at Manhattan Avenue, Greenpoint) and Club Exit (149 Greenpoint Avenue), long favorites of Brooklyn’s Poles and other Slavs. Now, they’re gaining more and more prominence as gentrification pushes hipsters out of Williamsburg and into Greenpoint.

Europa’s owner Zibby Chalecki told the Voice that he sees the club as a “cultural embassy of Poland: ‘It’s not just a discotheque, it’s an arts center.’” He seems to be disappointed that the local Polish community is beginning to move on, but also eager to reach out to the wider community to ensure his business continues to thrive.

Exit is also starting to reach out. Though Saturdays are still Slav-apalooza, Fridays are mostly run by outside promoters who bring in their own audiences (though Slavic bands do come by from time to time).

The Voice website also featured a slideshow, Hot Like That:Scenes from the Polish/New York party life. Check it out.

(Photos: Staci Schwartz/stacipop.com for the Village Voice)