Club Abstract closes

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Club Abstract officially closed on May 1 after being heavily involved in the Kitchener-Waterloo nightlife for 24 years. The space has been taken over by Kitchener-based The Event Firm, an event-planning company. The actual facility is now called District and will continue to run as a club with its grand opening on May 24.

Mike Ibrahim, owner of Club Abstract, decided it was time to retire. The decision led to a โ€œgreat outpouringโ€ from the community. Club Abstract is proclaimed as an alternative club; a familial bond formed within its two-decade reign.

Club Abstract ii online Jessica DikTo many, it was a place that garnered many connections and relationships. According to Ibrahim, many goers explained life-changing events happened at the club, and the environment was inclusive for all.

โ€œI donโ€™t really see another club sort of filling that void โ€ฆ I think it meant a lot to the community because weโ€™ve had a lot of people coming up to us saying that you know, if it werenโ€™t for the club I wouldโ€™ve never met my wife or my husband, or I felt a bit of an outcast until I came here and it became this family environment, it was a really close-knit group of people,โ€ said Ibrahim.

The new club District plans to cater to its predecessorโ€™s goers by retaining Abstractโ€™s Retro Friday. However, the club will be different in that it will only operate as a club on Friday and Saturday nights. The rest of the week, will be dedicated to booking other types of events. It will also continue to cater to a more mature crowd, preferably ages 25 and up.

Since Club Abstract was one of the first clubs in the K-W area to promote absolute inclusivity, Ibrahim hopes other clubs have adopted the same principle.

โ€œI think people just want people to come in and get along, right? I donโ€™t see anybody else catering to the crowd that we cater to, but nowadays people have gone to places more marketable, which is more of the hip hop, EDM โ€ฆ that sort of stuff,โ€ he expalined.

Christina Place, fourth-year economics student at Wilfrid Laurier University, has gone to the club and agrees with the inclusive atmosphere. She adds Club Abstract was a good club for its demographic, and its environment allowed for years of loyalty from its customers.

โ€œI went with some older coworkers and it was different [compared to the clubs near the university]. I remember everyone being really social when I was there โ€ฆ The patio was pretty good, you can go outside and everyone was chatty โ€ฆ even a couple of people came up and talked to us, so I think itโ€™s a good inclusive atmosphere,โ€ said Place.

As for next steps, Ibrahim plans to enjoy his time off.

โ€œMy next step is to take it one day at a time,โ€ said Ibrahim.


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