Two West Chelsea clubs see-saw through change

The scene outside the infamous West Chelsea club Crobar, which recently morphed into Studio Mezmor, earlier this week.

By Albert Amateau

Two West Chelsea clubs went through some quick changes in the past week that added up to “Doing Business as Usual.”

Crobar, the big West Chelsea club on W. 28th St. that was closed temporarily on Jan. 6 by police in a Nuisance Abatement action, closed voluntarily last Friday but re-opened the following day, Feb. 17, under a new name, Studio Mezmor.

Scores, the adult entertainment club on W. 27the St. where four women employees and two male managers were arrested for prostitution and promoting prostitution on Jan. 23, had its liquor license suspended on Jan. 21 by the State Liquor License, but the following day the club’s attorney obtained a court order that stayed the suspension.

Studio Mezmor, 530 W. 28th St., is under the same ownership as the erstwhile Crobar and is operating with the same roster of popular DJ’s. Bruce Dunston, a principal, said that art exhibits, fashion shows and live rock concerts would be booked into the 10,000-sq.-ft. venue in addition to club events.

The name Mezmor is a tribute to a former tenant of the building, Col. Francis B. Messmore, whose company, Messmore & Damon, manufactured theater props, movie sets and exhibits including giant animated dinosaurs for a Chicago exhibition in 1927.

Mezmor has new front entrances and a more open arrangement of the main dance floor and the mezzanine, according to Clubplanet, a nightlife Website.

The closing on Jan. 6 was ordered by State Supreme Court Justice Louis B. York after police showed that there had been 15 narcotics violations and 22 State Liquor License violations in the previous 12 months. But after Crobar agreed to pay a $25,000 fine and promised to conduct metal-detector searches of all patrons, the club reopened on Jan. 10.

The S.L.A. ordered the summary suspension of Scores’ liquor license after the five-member agency on Wed. Feb. 21 heard a report on the NYPD prostitution arrests in January. Four women were charged with agreeing to perform sex acts with undercover police officers in private rooms at the club, and two male employees were charged with telling the undercover cops that using the private rooms was fine “as long as you made arrangements with the girl.”

The holders of a suspended license are entitled to an expedited hearing before an administrative law judge, who may grant a stay of the suspension pending a court appeal of the action. Marvin Mitzner, Scores attorney, secured the stay on Thursday afternoon, allowing the club to serve alcohol pending resolution of the matter.