Club Feathers

Club Feathers is a gay nightclub in River Edge, New Jersey. Opened in 1978, it is the oldest in the state and the only one in North Jersey. It is known for its live entertainment, its familial atmosphere, and its assistance to vulnerable LGBT youth and the local poor. The club was ordered to close in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though it was able to reopen for limited outdoor service in the summer, its owner, Paul Binetti, announced in June that the venue was experiencing severe financial hardship, and he launched a GoFundMe page in a bid to secure enough funds to remain in business.

Club Feathers
Club Feathers
Location within Bergen County, New Jersey
Address77 Kinderkamack Road
LocationRiver Edge, New Jersey, US
Coordinates40.9106°N 74.0382°W / 40.9106; -74.0382
Public transitNew Bridge Landing station
OwnerPaul Binetti
TypeGay nightclub
OpenedJune 21, 1978
Website
clubfeathers.com

Description

Owned by Paul Binetti,[1] Club Feathers is the last operational gay nightclub in North Jersey.[2] It is known for its live entertainment featuring drag queens and go-go dancers,[3] and its weekly event calendar normally includes "Pop Wednesday", "Latin Thursday" and "Drag Friday".[4] Customers describe the club's atmosphere as welcoming and note its tight-knit community of staff and clientele. Binetti stated that "[t]he bond between patrons became even stronger after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida in 2016".[3] Feathers is often a first stop for local LGBT people after they come out of the closet.[1][3][5] It is also active in charity work: in addition to helping disadvantaged queer youth get on their feet, it cooks and serves food to the local poor.[2]

History

Early years and operation

Club Feathers opened in River Edge on June 21, 1978, making it the oldest gay nightclub in New Jersey.[1][6][7] According to Binetti, "[Feathers] opened so that [the New Jersey LGBT] community could have a safe place to call [its] own."[7] In the venue's early years, it was treated as unwelcome in the area: the local government attempted to shut it down it multiple times, and the building was twice set on fire with Molotov cocktails.[2] Eddie Kallen, the club's longtime employee and its current manager, recalled: "People used to scream things out the window as they were driving by. They used to throw things at the place."[8] The original owner fought back despite the persistent harassment. Since its inception, Feathers has also served as a de facto support center for LGBT youth. It has helped find work and housing for individuals who have been kicked out of their homes, sometimes footing the bill for their rent.[2] On New Year's Day in 2018, a small fire broke out in a duct in the club's kitchen, shuttering the business for the day. Damage was minimal, and the venue reopened two days later.[9][10]

Celebrities such as The Village People and Cardi B have been regulars at Feathers.[4]

COVID-19 pandemic

Like all the New Jersey nightlife venues, Feathers was ordered to cease operation in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] Binetti applied for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program in hopes of securing the club financially, but he was not granted any aid.[2] In June, Feathers reopened for takeout and outdoor dining, functioning on a skeleton staff of four employees and receiving about 50 customers per week, down from a pre-COVID high of 1,500.[1][3] Binetti changed the business model from nightclub to restaurant, hired a new chef, modified the establishment's menu, and converted its back lot into a seating area in an attempt to maximize revenue under the new arrangements.[3][4][6] Nevertheless, although the venue had reopened on June 15, its profits for the month totaled just $1,200.[4]

At the end of June, when Governor Phil Murphy walked back plans to reopen indoor dining, Binetti announced that Feathers would no longer be able to tide itself over with outdoor operations alone.[1] On June 28, he launched a $75,000 GoFundMe campaign to raise the funds needed to pay off the overdue rent and taxes that the club had accrued in the four months it was closed.[2][3] By July 24, donations totaled $45,000, which was enough to cover the rent. Binetti stated that the remaining balance would need to be collected within 45 days in order to keep Feathers afloat.[6]

Celebrity performers from RuPaul's Drag Race and The Village People offered to help organize a benefit for the club, but its reduced capacity presented practical problems. As of late July, local drag queens and DJs were regularly donating socially distanced performances in Feathers' outdoor dining area to help with fundraising efforts.[6] As of October, staple shows included a weekly drag brunch and other performances by Pissi Myles.[11]

Reception

In 2020, Daniel Reynolds of The Advocate wrote that visiting Feathers is "a rite of passage for LGBTQ+ New Jerseyans in coming out".[1]

See also

References
  1. Reynolds, Daniel (July 2, 2020). "N.J.'s Oldest Gay Club, Facing Closure, Launches GoFundMe". The Advocate. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  2. Van Denburgh, Tom (July 4, 2020). "New Jersey's oldest LGBTQ club launches GoFundMe to avoid closure". Out In Jersey. Archived from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  3. Noda, Stephanie (July 2, 2020). "This could be last call for Club Feathers, New Jersey's oldest gay nightclub, owner says". The Record. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  4. Young, Emily (July 10, 2020). "COVID-19: Long-Standing NJ Gay Club In Danger Of Closing". New Jersey News Network. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  5. "Club Feathers, New Jersey's oldest gay club, struggling to stay afloat". News 12 New Jersey. July 6, 2020. Archived from the original on July 8, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  6. Noda, Stephanie (July 24, 2020). "$45,000 in donations pour in to save New Jersey's oldest gay bar, but it may not be enough". The Record. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  7. Levine, Cecilia (July 2, 2020). "COVID-19: Famed Gay Bergen County Night Club Struggles To Survive". Paramus Daily Voice. Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  8. Arschin, Dana (July 26, 2020). "Community rallies to save NJ's longest-running gay nightclub". Fox 5 New York. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  9. Levine, Cecilia (January 2, 2018). "Fire Closes Popular Gay Night Club In River Edge". Paramus Daily Voice. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  10. Jongsma, Joshua (January 1, 2018). "River Edge fire closes Club Feathers on New Year's Day". The Record. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  11. Biese, Alex (October 7, 2020). "Drag goes to drive-ins, streaming shows in COVID-19 era: 'We have to try.'". Bucks County Courier Times. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.

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