The Hurricane was a hot pre-tiki era night club on the northwest corner of 49th & Broadway from about 1940 through 1944. It filled the second floor of the Brill Building, a historic landmark famous for nurturing the popular music industry from the 1950s into the 1970s; anyone who was anyone in the music industry at the time was seen there.

The name, Hurricane, was probably inspired by the 1937 film, starring Dorothy Lamour.

It was decorated with fake palm trees and other tropical flora and fauna.

Most notably, Duke Ellington headlined at the Hurricane in 1943. According to Ellington, it was at the Hurricane that night club audiences first began to be integrated.

The Hurricane was operated by lawyer David J. Wolper, but many speculated that he was actually the front man for the mob and that they actually ran the place.

After many conflicting reports towards the end, about whether the club would stay open or was simply closed for remodeling, the Hurricane did indeed close.

Meanwhile, another successful spot, Zanzibar, whose tropical/African theme welcomed both a black and white audience, was looking for a new spot. They had opened the previous year in a smaller venue and were looking to expand.

The Zanzibar owners paid more than $50,000 and apparently another $35,000 to redecorate the old Hurricane location in gold, beige and black and opened later in 1944 to instant success with headliners like Cab Calloway and other famous musicians who frequently squabbled over who would headline this new premier club spot.

Details

Type

Restaurant, Bar & Nightclub

Address

New York City, New York, United States

Closed?

Yes (Permanently)