Photo by NCinDC.Apex Nightclub, the 18-and-over dance spot popular with the District’s LGBT and college residents, closed its doors last weekend and has been sold.
According to the Washington Blade, the club’s last night of operation was Saturday. General manager Joey Oldaker — who serves as a mouthpiece for club owner Glen Thompson — officially announced the closure of Apex on his Facebook page yesterday. And there’s a replacement in place for the club, though what that will be remains a closely guarded secret:
According to Oldaker, who DJs locally as “Joey O.,” the business has been sold. He said the new buyer wished to remain anonymous and he had “no idea” if the new owner plans to continue as a dance club of any kind. Long-time Apex owner Glen Thompson, who also owns Omega — another P Street/Dupont Circle-area gay bar, declined to be interviewed through Oldaker, who said Omega will remain in business.
“He’s very private about his personal life and his business dealings,” Oldaker said of Thompson.
Metro Weekly has gathered the reaction from employees, including some speechless at the fact the club won’t have a closing party after 28 years of operation. The bar, which originally opened under the name Badlands in May 1983, was also very popular with college students, for whom the cover charge was waived on Thursday nights.
One thing is for sure: the building itself probably won’t be changing too much. After all, 1415 22nd Street NW has a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, listed as the Codman Carriage House and Stable.
