Among the chatter of those waiting in line at Simons Nightclub on its opening night, most seemed excited to see a new club in Gainesville.
Unfortunately for some, the 6,500-square-foot venue reached its maximum capacity by midnight Aug. 25 at the grand opening, which meant that the star-struck girls waiting impatiently in line couldn’t meet their favorite Olympian.
“We couldn’t get in, because it was so packed,” said 19-year-old UF mathematics major Krista Petkov. “I wanted to meet Ryan Lochte so badly.”
But before Simons Nightclub, 8 S. Main St., hosted Olympic swimmers swimming in alcohol, it existed in Gainesville in the mid-1990s under a different reputation.
The grand opening drew the attention of club-goers from ages 18 to 40, with the higher end of the bell curve knowing and remembering what the club used to stand for — the music.
Simons had “great vibes and great music,” according to 26-year-old Gainesville resident Michael McNally. “It makes me feel great to know my hometown had such a hand in the history of the electronic music scene.”
Despite its music scene, the club shut down in 1999 before reopening last month.
According to Simons’ website, the club originally opened its doors to the public in October 1990 by its former owner, Naji “Simon” Semrani. At first, the club did not sell liquor and was meant as a “members-only” club, but expanded due to its growing popularity in the area.
It became most noted as the local spot where world-renown disc jockeys would perform.
To some, the legendary club has lost the feeling that made it what it was. That’s how long-time resident and old Simons’ regular Antonio Mercado feels. Mercado, 31, is a partner of the Dynasty Group, a promotion company that has brought modern electronic music acts like Laidback Luke and Madeon to Gainesville in recent years.
“When I was here, it was late 1999, John Digweed played a six-hour set if I’m not mistaken,” Mercado said. “The new Simons’ is a bottle club — nice finishes, but no heart.”
But when considering 101 Management’s new alterations, the atmosphere is not comparable, Mercado said.
“I love the old Simons but would not go back to the old one only because the technology has passed it by,” Mercado said. “It would need a major face-lift to keep up with the current technology.”
In addition to the changes in aesthetics, the feeling of having your old friend “Simon” has left the building.
The nightclub run by 101 Management Group, which also owns other popular Gainesville hotspots such as 101 Cantina and 101 Downtown.
According to Mercado, the new owners are using the history of the club to market it as the legendary electronic dance music oasis that it once was. But in reality, it is a place that focuses on selling bottles of alcohol to VIP tables.
“It is not the Simons of old with a face-lift,” Mercado said. “It’s a VIP club that is using the name to sell itself to people as a place where dance music is important, since that’s what sells nowadays.”
When Semrani first opened the doors to the original Simons, it was supposed to be a haven for the genre he felt so passionate for. But now with electronic dance music finding its way into top 40 billboard charts, it is another way to make money, according to Mercado.
“It is not the return of a dance music Mecca. It’s the opposite,” he said. “If Simon were dead — which he isn’t — he would be rolling over in his grave.”
