Sue's Rendezvous ends 45 years of erotic dancing
Ernie Garcia , elgarcia@lohud.comPublished 6:33 p.m. ET April 17, 2017 | Updated 14 hours ago
Sue's Rendezvous owner Gaetano Gizzo said a combination of legal troubles and changing clientele led him to close while he considers his and the venue's future.
MOUNT VERNON - There's no more pole dancing at Sue's Rendezvous, the erotic nightclub that for years was one of Mount Vernon's biggest attractions.
The business at 96 Gramatan Ave. closed its doors about two weeks ago and it's unclear whether it will reopen. Owner Gaetano Gizzo said a combination of legal troubles and changing clientele led him to close while he considers his and the venue's future.
Over the decades the club was a magnet for sports and entertainment celebrities, and its reputation as a party palace got Sue's mentioned in several rap songs, including works by prominent artists Nicki Minaj, Jay Z and Notorious B.I.G.
"I've been fortunate," said Gizzo, 70, who hasn't decided if he will move the club or do something else. "A lot of celebrities have come into this club.... When the Giants won the Super Bowl, they came in here. Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, I can name hundreds of stars that came into this place."
While club enthusiasts may lament the closure, others were pleased. City Councilman Andre Wallace welcomed the news.
"This is a great victory for the city of Mount Vernon to have this establishment finally off our main corridor, where our kids have to pass every day on their way home from school," he said. "A strip club should not be the center of attraction for our city. We're better than that. This is a great step in the right direction."
Gizzo, a former longtime resident of Mount Vernon, said lawsuits were one of the reasons his club closed. One of the most recent suits was filed a year ago by Falema Bruton, who alleged that the club violated state labor laws by illegally retaining tips and improperly withholding wages. The case is still winding its way through the court.
Another issue was violence in and around the club.
In October a woman was shot outside the club after a dispute among patrons spilled into the street, according to city police. In 2014, a 20-year-old Bronx man was shot in the leg after leaving the club.
Gizzo said the incidents that occurred in and around his club were no worse than violence elsewhere.
"These days it happens in schools, in churches, everywhere," he said. "I can't take people home after they leave my club."
The nightclub was open seven days a week from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. Admission was free weekdays and $20 on weekends.
On a typical night there might be 10 to 20 women dancing at the club, whose interior featured stages with poles and a shower stall for performers.
Sue's Rendezvous' 45-year run is unusual in the nightclub business, where venues typically have much shorter lifespans. Gizzo attributed his longevity to his business practices.
"We stayed open so long by running a clean place and being fair to the customer," he said. "We never took advantage of any customers. We always tried to give away free food. We went out of our way to maintain and keep our clientele and our reputation strong."
http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/mount-vernon/2017/04/17/sues-rendezvous/100569728/
Ernie Garcia , elgarcia@lohud.comPublished 6:33 p.m. ET April 17, 2017 | Updated 14 hours ago
Sue's Rendezvous owner Gaetano Gizzo said a combination of legal troubles and changing clientele led him to close while he considers his and the venue's future.
MOUNT VERNON - There's no more pole dancing at Sue's Rendezvous, the erotic nightclub that for years was one of Mount Vernon's biggest attractions.
The business at 96 Gramatan Ave. closed its doors about two weeks ago and it's unclear whether it will reopen. Owner Gaetano Gizzo said a combination of legal troubles and changing clientele led him to close while he considers his and the venue's future.
Over the decades the club was a magnet for sports and entertainment celebrities, and its reputation as a party palace got Sue's mentioned in several rap songs, including works by prominent artists Nicki Minaj, Jay Z and Notorious B.I.G.
"I've been fortunate," said Gizzo, 70, who hasn't decided if he will move the club or do something else. "A lot of celebrities have come into this club.... When the Giants won the Super Bowl, they came in here. Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, I can name hundreds of stars that came into this place."
While club enthusiasts may lament the closure, others were pleased. City Councilman Andre Wallace welcomed the news.
"This is a great victory for the city of Mount Vernon to have this establishment finally off our main corridor, where our kids have to pass every day on their way home from school," he said. "A strip club should not be the center of attraction for our city. We're better than that. This is a great step in the right direction."
Gizzo, a former longtime resident of Mount Vernon, said lawsuits were one of the reasons his club closed. One of the most recent suits was filed a year ago by Falema Bruton, who alleged that the club violated state labor laws by illegally retaining tips and improperly withholding wages. The case is still winding its way through the court.
Another issue was violence in and around the club.
In October a woman was shot outside the club after a dispute among patrons spilled into the street, according to city police. In 2014, a 20-year-old Bronx man was shot in the leg after leaving the club.
Gizzo said the incidents that occurred in and around his club were no worse than violence elsewhere.
"These days it happens in schools, in churches, everywhere," he said. "I can't take people home after they leave my club."
The nightclub was open seven days a week from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. Admission was free weekdays and $20 on weekends.
On a typical night there might be 10 to 20 women dancing at the club, whose interior featured stages with poles and a shower stall for performers.
Sue's Rendezvous' 45-year run is unusual in the nightclub business, where venues typically have much shorter lifespans. Gizzo attributed his longevity to his business practices.
"We stayed open so long by running a clean place and being fair to the customer," he said. "We never took advantage of any customers. We always tried to give away free food. We went out of our way to maintain and keep our clientele and our reputation strong."
http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/mount-vernon/2017/04/17/sues-rendezvous/100569728/
