What do Suite B Lounge, Peek Downtown, Sports Club @ Celine, Ann Teague’s Lamp Supply, Arena Art Bar and Noir Lounge all have in common? They all operated at one time in this spot along Magnolia Avenue downtown. And when we were out this past weekend, we noticed the spot was vacant once again.The most-recent casualty was Noir Lounge. Ownership put some money into the place, adding plush seating and a high rise DJ booth towards he rear. The bar was also redone. We visited once when it first opened but during subsequent visits the place was nearly always closed, even on weekend nights. It didn’t help that they operated with a Hip Hop format when they were surrounded by Hip Hop clubs.The predecessor was Blog-favorite Arena Art Bar. They always featured DJ’s and the music ranged from House to Trance to Breaks. Orlando’s onerous night club rules made it impossible to make a profit though and sadly it didn’t last very long.Prior to Arena Art Bar, it operated for several years as Ann Teague’s Lamp Supply, home to quality lighting fixtures and good cocktails. Themed as a lamp store with walls and ceilings jammed with lamps, it was always a fun place to visit and on weekends they’d have DJ’s playing Top 40 and House.Adjacent nightclub Celine took over the place immediately after Suite B/Peek Downtown and branded the space as Sports Club at Celine. They installed some televisions and an old scoreboard but the place never caught on and it didn’t last long.But most of us know the space as Suite B Lounge with a name change to Peek Downtown in later years. It operated the longest under the helm of owner Sammy Elgendy until he decided to retire. It was truly Orlando’s “Home of Breaks” with many of the genre’s biggest names DJ’ing here. (Some people may recall the space as Knock Knock.)So if you want to own a nightclub, this space is now available again. But bring back the stripper pole, please. Inquire within. (Pictured: DJ Fixx (USA) & DJ Keith Mackenzie (USA) in 2014.) (Pictured in cover photo at top: DJ Matrix (USA) & DJ J-Dub (USA) in 2014.)
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