New Florida club reopens with fanfare and glitz

The Nairobi night scene underwent a major transformation last Saturday with a glitzy reopening of one of the city’s most revered dance spots, the New Florida Night club.

Last year’s closure and subsequent demolition of the club from its original location, a landmark on the city’s Koinange Street, was mourned by the many Kenyans and visitors to the city who spent many nights partying at the city’s so called Mad House.

The mushroom-shaped red and white nightclub was not just an architectural masterpiece but was also the scene of many nights of revelry for generations of Kenyans.

From its opening in the mid-1960s, the club was known variously as Bonanza, the Sal Davis Night Spot and Arcadia before businessman Tam Winkie, who was already running a similar club in Mombasa, bought the establishment and named it the New Florida Night club in 1979.

It was at the Florida that pioneer Kenyan music superstars like Kelly Brown (Cally the Bushman), Ishmael Jingo first got their big break. So popular was the brand that many famous international visitors dropped into the club to get the feel of the throbbing pulse of the city.

As veteran entertainment promoter D.S Njoroge recalls, virtually every superstar who has performed in Nairobi, from Congolese greats like Franco and Tabu Ley to Jamaican stars like Yellowman and Chaka Demus and Pliers, always passed through the New Florida Night club for an after-party ‘do’ and to catch a taste of the Nairobi nightlife.

Hoisted above a petrol station, the club had earned a reputation as a Mecca for tourists and locals. So the news of the re-opening of Florida Nightclub last Saturday night on Banda Street, - not too far from its previous location on Koinange Street was greeted with a great deal of excitement by both the city’s older party animals as well as a much younger crowd.

The new location is on top of White Rose drycleaners between Emperor Plaza and the Shell Petrol station next to the KCB, Kipande House Branch with the entrance on Banda Street.

Besides the name though, this is a very different club from the old one atop the petrol station. The club owners are obviously aware that the Nairobi nightlife has evolved rapidly with the introduction of the popular lounges that provide a club atmosphere complete with music at no cover charge.

Therefore the New Florida has pulled out all the stops to give the club a very classy look and feel. The club’s new interior has an Art Deco theme with a cutting edge sound system and stunning lighting effects. The dance floor is designed with over 10,000 LED lights and the introduction of a VVIP lounge offers exclusive service and comfort for a niche clientele.

On the opening night last Saturday, internationally-famous DJ Marcus Coppini played a combination of soul, house and tech beats.

“We are very excited to bring this new concept of a modern art deco nightclub experience to Nairobi, while still providing that unforgettable Florida experience,” says Emily Maina, Florida’s Marketing Executive.

The original Florida nightclub will be a hard act to follow but the current management is lucky to have experienced hands, like Steve Aziz, the veteran DJ-turned-manager, who has been with the club since the 1980s, on board.

The club is open for music every night from 9 pm till 6 am.