JAY-Z is set to reopen his famous and exclusive 40/40 Club at a new location in New York City.
In an Us Weekly report from Thursday (August 15), an exec from the exclusive sports club chain revealed that Hov and his team are looking to reinvigorate the famed hotspot.
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“It’s always been the plan to open a new spot,” 40/40 Club vice president of operations Sheldon Robinson told Us Weekly. “Finding the right location that makes sense to the brand is key, and that takes some time. We’ve narrowed it down to our last few choices and now we’re in the negotiation phase.”
Robinson added, “Hopefully by the end of this year we’ll have a lease signed and we can break ground. The idea is that we’ll have a club in 2025.”
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The original Manhattan location closed in August 2023, after being in operation for 20 years.
Robinson also mentioned that JAY-Z has been very involved in the process, and that he: “definitely wants to keep it as part of his legacy.”
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The news comes as Hov is set to temporarily reopen the club exclusively for Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Fest NYC this weekend.
The two-day festival, to be held at the Jacob Javits Center from August 16 to 18, will see the famous sports bar authentically recreated for fans in attendance.
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According to a press release, attendees can expect an atmosphere that pays tribute to the club in its heyday, complete with framed sports jerseys, grand chandeliers and stadium seating as well as food and drink inspired by its original menu.
At one point, JAY-Z expanded the club to five locations nationwide but all of those bars have since closed.
The only establishments that still maintain the 40/40 brand are an airport bar in Atlanta and a restaurant inside Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
The Roc Nation mogul famously referenced the bar in his 2003 hit “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” where he rapped: “Now you chillin’ with a boss, bitch, of course, SC on the sleeve / At the 40/40 Club, ESPN on the screen.”
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The club was known for its collection of memorabilia that was on display for customers, including a pair of autographed gloves by Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier from their 1974 fight and a WWE Championship belt once owned by Kurt Angle.
The original New York location also played host to Rihanna‘s release party for her 2012 album Unapologetic, as well as a surprise performance from J. Cole in 2010 shortly after he signed to Roc Nation.
