After two decades of operation, JAY-Z’s 40/40 Club has shut down their original location located in the Flatiron District. According to company spokesperson Andrea Thomas, there are plans for the club to reopen next year at a new location.
Starting in 2003 with the original Flatiron location, the 40/40 Club is a small chain of high-profile sports bars owned by JAY-Z. In addition to the primary venue, the club also has had locations at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Las Vegas (closed in 2008), Atlantic City (closed in 2013), and at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Since its opening 20 years ago, the 40/40 Club has hosted numerous high profile celebrity events, both in music and the sports world. NBA superstar LeBron James has frequented the club multiple times. Fellow hip-hop artist J. Cole would host secret shows at the venue when he first signed to Roc Nation. In 2012, the Flatiron venue went under a $10 million renovation which took over a year to complete.
Shortly before the renovation, information was released that the Manhattan venue did not meet New York labor standards. They were also shut down for health code violations during that same time period. A former chef for the club was sued by JAY-Z and 40/40 for $1.5 million in 2012.
Despite holding five locations during its peak, the club has had its share of issues throughout their operation. For one, the Las Vegas location was open for just a year, and the Atlantic City location for eight. Furthermore, the clubs once had $115,000 of rent that was unpaid according to a 2013 lawsuit.
Known for his multiple streams of income, the 40/40 club is one of many businesses that JAY-Z has operated over the past decades. Despite a location not yet being announced, the venue is set to open again in February 2024 according to the company website.
