Williamsburg’s Tender Trap Reopens in Greenpoint With an LES Gallery in Tow

One of Williamsburg’s wildest bars has reopened in Greenpoint, bringing a party-prone ex-Lower East Side gallery with it.

Tender Trap was described as one of the “50 Coolest Places in New York” before it abruptly closed after just two years in November of 2013, and Superchief was part of the “#1 Art Bar in America” when it was forced to leave its Clinton Street perch inside of CultureFix back in July. Now the two exiles are dream-teaming up in the former home of rock bar Coco 66, which itself closed rather abruptly.

While Tender Trap does its bidding in the dark, pink-trimmed front space, Superchief will display a new art show every couple of weeks in the bright back room where Coco 66 hosted shows.

The joint endeavor launched yesterday with a show featuring downtown legend Kembra Pfahler and drag doyenne La’Fem Ladosha. According to Superchief co-founder Edward Zipco, about 700 people rolled through to see an exhibit (up till next Thursday) that he described as a family show and a preview of what’s to come.

Superchief magazine opened its first gallery in Williamsburg in 2012 but was forced to shutter after less than a year because the neighbors couldn’t handle the noise, Zipco said. The second location, inside of CultureFix, closed due to a rent hike.

Ever since then, Zipco and his partner Bill Dunleavy had been talking about a collaboration with the folks at Tender Trap, where they had been throwing the Friday night party.

Just a week ago, they got the word that Tender Trap was moving into 66 Greenpoint Avenue, and now they’re scrambling to produce forthcoming shows: the next one is a punk exhibit to coincide with the New York’s Alright festival, and in May they’ll bring over Tod Seelie’s epic photos of Southern California party mayhem, currently hanging in Superchief’s Los Angeles gallery.

Meanwhile, Tender Trap’s “bigger, blacker, girthier” location is definitely keeping it 100. You’ll still find an “anything goes” tude, gogo girls bouncing on the bar, and — if the old spot is any indicator — babies being made on the dancefloor. (I still remember rolling to the old Tender Trap after seeing Spring Breakers and feeling like I was still watching the movie.) Saturdays will once again be known as Saturdaze, thanks to DJ Dirtyfinger of the Black Label tallbike club. On Fridays, trap/twerk DJ Cobra Krames will preside over a night named after his Gold Whistle label.

And if you still have any doubt about what kind of party this is, just check out the shopping list for the place’s friends and family preview.