If you’re hunting for Paradise nightclub, just look straight ahead for the bold, modern building connected to an old-school hotel-with those bright blue window accents and the famous rainbow crosswalk out front, you’ll know you’ve found the right place.
Now that you’re standing under the Asbury Park sun, take a second and soak up the colors at your feet-the rainbow crosswalk isn’t just a cool photo op, it’s a symbol of everything this place stands for. Welcome to Paradise, where history, pride, and a good beat collide. Back in the day-think the 1930s-Asbury Park was already a secret destination for LGBTQ travelers. Picture hidden bars lit by neon signs, whispers shared just out of earshot, and laughter tucked away behind closed doors. But there was darkness ahead: after riots shook the city in the 1970s and the AIDS epidemic took its toll, this once vibrant community faced tough times. It wasn’t until New Jersey passed an anti-discrimination law in the 1990s that hope began shining again.
And who would’ve expected a Grammy-winning record producer to help bring the city back to life? Enter Shep Pettibone. He bought the Empress Hotel and its closed-down sidekick-an old nightclub that hadn’t seen a disco ball in over a decade. Shep thought he’d just fix up a business, but soon realized the city needed more than just a facelift. With a vision fueled by big beats and even bigger dreams, he gave the club a new life, rebranding it as Paradise. In May of 1999, the doors swung open and the city started humming again-literally. From day one, Paradise poured in not just music but spirit, helping put Asbury Park back on the map.
This isn’t just a nightclub. It’s part pool party-yes, there’s a heated pool!-and part comedy central, plus an all-out drag extravaganza. Walk through those doors and you’ll find two main rooms: the main room with pumping dance tunes and the Copper Bar for mixing and mingling. The crowd is famously eclectic, from twenty-somethings to folks reliving their wild disco nights-or maybe just trying to win at “Bitchy Bingo,” one of their cheeky weekly drag shows!
But the real crown jewel? The annual Miss Paradise pageant. This stage has boosted more than a few stars: from Lady Marisa, the club’s first-ever crowned queen, to Honey Davenport, who brought her flair to RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Sapphira Cristál and Olivia Lux, who sashed their way from here to national fame. Even celebrity judges like Margaret Josephs of Real Housewives fame have stopped by to witness the glitz, the glitter, and the drama. And if you’re wondering just how tight-knit this community really is-Miss Paradise 2019, Mancie Mandell, passed the title to Olivia Lux, while Mandell’s drag daughter, Jasmine Kennedie, broke out right here before strutting onto Drag Race herself. No pressure… but you’re at a place where stars are born!
Paradise itself has weathered plenty. When Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, the Empress lost its roof. Did they pack up and quit? Nope-Shep upgraded everything from the dance floor to those flashing lasers. After the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting, Paradise stood strong, adding new security and serving as a safe haven. Even during the pandemic, when the city fell quiet, they found a way to keep the party alive-just moved it poolside and onto screens for a virtual Pride.
Today, the critics call Paradise the “most popular gay club at the Jersey Shore.” People come for summer tea dances, poolside cocktails, and wild drag spectacles, but stay for the sense of family. The laughter spills out onto the street, folks swap stories in the Martini Lounge, and the beats keep going long past sunset.
So, as you stand out front with those vibrant stripes beneath your feet, you’re not just outside a nightclub-you’re at the heart of Asbury Park’s rebirth, a place built on courage, community, and one fabulously fierce dance floor.
