Mayor of Montrose Reopens Beloved Nightclub After Four Long Years — South Beach Reemerges as a Transformed Party Wonderland
More Than 400 Revelers Get a Special Sneak Preview
BY Shelby Hodge // 07.14.22Lynn Wyatt & Mark Sullivan dancing beneath the 450-pound crystal chandelier at South Beach in Houston's Montrose. (Photo by Alex Montoya)
What: The South Beach dance club and night club reopening
Where: South Beach, 810 Pacific Street
Mise en scene: South Beach club owner Charles Armstrong, aka the Mayor of Montrose, reignited the lively nightlife mayhem that hasn’t filled the storied space since he shut down the popular spot four years ago. The transformation is palpable. With an assist from award-winning interior designer John Robinson of Houston-based Robinson & Associates, Armstrong has created luxe environs with such high-end appointments as rich mahogany, Carrara marble, black granite and oakwood flooring.
While the plan might have been for a sophisticated residential vibe, the 450-pound, 8-foot in diameter crystal chandelier rotating above the dance floor (à la a magical disco ball) quashes any doubt that this newly imagined South Beach is destined to rise to the top of the Houston nightclub food chain.
“Knowing that guests are able to finally return to a place that is so significant to many in this community makes the past four years all worth it,” Armstrong, president & CEO of Nier of Texas, Inc., dba South Beach, says. “I am ecstatic to be able to reopen South Beach to not just the LGBTQ+ community in Houston, but to anyone looking for a fun night out.
“Tonight’s event is just the start of what I believe will be a roaring re-entry for the Beach.”
More than 400 revelers poured in on this VIP night prior to its official opening this Friday, July 15. Complimentary pours of Madame Zéro Champagne were accompanied by party foods from neighbors Postino Wine Cafe and Niko Niko’s.
DJs Joe Ross and Mel Frausto kept the beat thumping while drag queens including Blackberri kept the Montrose vibe ginning.
PC Seen: Madame Zéro Champagne owner Matthew Massey, Houston grande dame Lynn Wyatt, The Suffers’ lead singer Kam Frankin, Tootsies creative director Fady Armanious and Boulevard Realty owner Bill Baldwin, Houston Ballet’s colorful Harper Watters, BeDesign’s Adrian Dueñas and Marcelo Saenz, Greater Houston Partnership vice president of marketing and communications A.J. Mistretta, Houston Life host Derrick Shore and husband Brandon Bourque, celebrity stylist Cerón, Mayor’s Office of Special Events event pros Debbi Elliott-Griffith and Brittany Jozwiak, Houston Public Media’s Ernie Manouse, Sloan/Hall‘s Shannon Hall, glam blogger and influencer Amanda Mills.