In July 2020, many mourned the pandemic-driven death of 90 Wythe Avenue venue Kinfolk after its 12-year run as a coffee shop, dance club, and cultural community hub. And now, three years and a handful of months later, a new club, Gabriela, is taking its spot.
Gabriela — opening on Friday, December 15 — is a dream realized for New York native DJ and producer Eli Escobar, who told Resident Advisor that it’s “what a club should look like from a DJ’s perspective.” Indeed, the three-part space features an array of vintage hi-fi equipment and legendary hardware (plus expert lighting techs) in an attempt to give performing acts the type of creative freedom they may not get elsewhere.
The club is a joint venture among Escobar, childhood friend and Cafe Mogador owner Rafael Ohayon, and Ohayon’s cousins and House of Yes co-owners Justin Ahiyon and Ilan Telmont.
Escobar himself will man the decks all night long on opening night, spinning house music, trance, hair metal and more from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., followed by Grammy-Award winning producer and Beyoncé, Frankie Knuckles, and Honey Dijon collaborator Luke Solomon on December 16.
And as the club’s mantra says, “Everyone is welcome, unless they are unwelcoming.”