Something special is pulsing beneath Brooklyn’s surface this fall. The city that never sleeps is about to gain a new heartbeat — and it’s called Refuge.
Tucked between East Williamsburg and Bushwick, Refuge isn’t just another nightlife destination. It’s a temple built for sound, crafted by two music veterans who know the city’s soul beats best when the bass is warm, the highs are clean, and the vibe is communal. John Dimatteo, the event producer whose fingerprints are all over New York’s biggest nights, has teamed with legendary sound engineer Craig “Shorty” Bernabeu to create an audio-driven experience that already feels destined for icon status.
A Venue Steeped in Legacy
Refuge lives inside a 19th-century industrial complex that now glows with 21st-century intention. Think soaring 35-foot brick ceilings, meticulous acoustic renovation, and a history that nods back to Studio 54 itself — the venue’s contractor is the son of the man who built that hallowed space. Here, the past isn’t erased, it’s amplified. Free from residential restrictions, Refuge will stretch deep into the night and right into sunrise — the way New York used to party, the way New York needs to party again.
The opening phase welcomes a 3,200-square-foot, 500-capacity club, intimate yet expansive, with more phases and hidden rooms rolling out in 2026. But even at launch, it’s clear: Refuge is not playing small.
The Sound is the Star
Every inch of Refuge was designed around Shorty’s custom-built REX system — a 10-foot-tall, four-point analog monster that might just be the crown jewel of his career. This is not your average plug-and-play setup; every speaker, amp, and processor is hand-built. The sound doesn’t just play music — it lifts you.
“Every system has a voice,” Shorty says. “Ours is full, relaxed, easy on the ears, but still hits with serious impact. Refuge fills a gap in NYC nightlife. The sound doesn’t just carry the track — it carries the people.”
Dimatteo puts it plainly: “We built the nightclub around the system, not the other way around.”
The result? A space where every beat lands with precision, every drop floods the room, and every dancer feels held by the sound. Add in Al Fierstein of Acoustilog — the same acoustic mind behind Paradise Garage and Sound Factory — and Refuge cements itself as the next stop in New York’s storied lineage of clubs that redefined what sound can be.
Built for the Dance Floor, Not the Selfie
At Refuge, the booth is custom, the dancefloor is floated wood built to absorb energy and give it back, and the DJs are the kinds of selectors who live to move a crowd, not just headline it. Phones are discouraged (but not policed). There’s no velvet rope, no overpriced bottle service — just a gathering place for music heads who know that presence beats performance every time.
Creative director Gregory Homs, a nightlife native who shaped the identities of The Tunnel and Sound Factory, helps set the mood. Expect weekly residencies, Sunday house classics, true after-hours, and a steady current of cutting-edge bookings. The programming will matter less for who’s on the flyer and more for the fact that the club itself is the draw.
Refuge as a State of Mind
The name says it all. Refuge isn’t simply a place; it’s a sanctuary — for the dancers, the DJs, the creatives, the seekers. It’s about stepping inside and leaving everything else at the door. In an era where nightlife often feels like a selfie backdrop, Refuge is a reset button — a return to music, sound, and community at the center.
As Dimatteo puts it, “We’re creating a club I want to DJ at, a club I want to attend, a club I’d be proud to invite my peers to. It’s about delivering an experience that’s unforgettable, every single night.”
And with the doors opening September 2025, Brooklyn is about to find itself home to something rare: a club built not just to make noise, but to make history.
Refuge opens this fall at 360 Ten Eyck Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11206. More info at refuge.nyc / @Refuge.NYC