So a guy comes down from Ocala with some big plans that just don’t seem to make any sense: He dumps a reported $1.7 million into Chateau Privé, a private nightclub on Howard Avenue in South Tampa. He spiffs the place up with plush furniture and original art. He jazzes up his launch party with a white Bengal tiger in a cage. The club charges around $5,000 for a membership — for which you get a $2,000 food and beverage credit, a private entrance and (WTF?) a private locker. Meanwhile, the adjacent St. Bart’s Island House restaurant and club stays open to the public, and is often busy. Other than some alleged exclusivity and posh surroundings, what exactly did the club have to offer? Not much, figured young, wealthy South Tampans, the target demographic. Chateau Privé abruptly closed on July 13, two months after the opening bash, leaving its small group of members (about 50) out in the cold and about 25 employees awaiting as much as a month’s pay. At the time, a spokeswoman for Philip Glassman, the owner, said he intended to pay the staff. We have a suggestion for Mr. Glassman for his next luxury venture: It’s called a market study.
This article appears in Sep 12-18, 2007.