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1674-13 Ian Schrager 30th Anniversary Issue/ Ian Schrager: `In'-Keeper Page 1 of 2 (6[ Mould ,aa like your nest egg • New School un The New scrambled ar poached? ` Greenwich Villa Summer Recipes Stalking H Xj1/Y04etia0111 ��Fromegrilling breakfast to ` In worker197in or "`'�'"'�'� re ash a 4-stardinner,cock afrom ,�� 1 raw dishes to exotic cocktails. I another 22 I NONE PERSONALS CLASSIFIEDS OM NEW YORK MAGAZINE DISCUSSIONS SUBSCRIBE! SITE SEARCH ARTS& BEST OF DATING & FASHION& FEATURES& I FOOD& GUIDES& ENTERTAINMENT NEW YORK NIGHTtIF'E SHOPPING COLUMNS RESTAURANTS SERVICES this week's Profile INTELLIGENCER 30th Anniversary issue / Ian Schrager: 'In'- Wedding Bling Keeper re What Trump's engagement ring to Melania Knauss is really We opened Enchanted Garden in December 1976. It didn't take very much to • worth. Plus: Daniel get into it, so we just decided, "Hey, let's try and do a nightclub."At the end of Boulud's return to Le 1976, Steve Rubell and I saw an old TV studio on West 54th Street; it was Cirque... called Studio 52. I think the rent was$50,000 a year.Which at that time seemed like an unbelievable amount of money, but we went ahead and Her Royal Lie-Hess signed a lease, and we opened up in April 1977. At that time, there were a The so-called Saudi number of great nightclubs in New York City. There was 12 West, there was princess was only one of Flamingo, there was Le Jardin. Going to discotheques had just sort of taken the many identities Lisa the world by storm.And so there was great anticipation. The night Studio 54 Walker tried on like opened, it was like lightning striking. The thing just took off from the first day I jewelry. that it opened. 9/11: Going, Going, Basically a club is an adult theme park, and you're always trying to find new Gone and exciting outlets for people, trying to discover new places within the It's okay to destroy Nev; nightclub, and that's the way the VIP-room thing evolved. It started out in the York again — in the back, and then it moved into the dishwasher room, and then it went to the movies. balcony, and then it went downstairs into the basement.We would just find another nook or corner where people could sit down and Steve could take Big Question care of his friends. I look back,and I think that we got intoxicated with the First Friends. Now success. What we were trying to do was have a party and exercise the same Frasier. Which'TV show discretion and judgment people exercise when they have a party in their should end next?And home. We thought it was quite innocent, but it almost destroyed me. At the which one should last time, it was all we could do to keep our arms around what was happening, it forever? was moving so fast. • Go Jets, Stadium! Hotels are very similar to nightclubs. They both have the same goal in mind, In the fight over the or they should: looking after people, making sure they have fun,trying to ever-more-contentious razzle-dazzle them. I really consider myself in the entertainment business, so West Side plan, one side whether I express myself through a restaurant, through a hotel, through a unveils a TV ad dub, it's all with basically the same thing in mind:to look after your guests, lift campaign. their spirits, excite them. That's my approach in the hotel business, and it was '1 the same approach we had in the nightclub business—except that in the hotel this week's business, I actually have a product that people need. I have a bed. In the COLUMNS nightclub, I had no product. Equal Wrongs As long as I have something to say, and I think I can make a contribution and The images of women do something that's distinctive and original and fresh and on the edge-- not abusing Iraqis, and falling over but right there balancing on the edge-- I'll continue to do hotels. having sex in front of As long as I can keep it small, and keep my arms around all the important them, are shocking. But details, I'll continue to do hotels. The minute that stops, I'm going to get out of in committing wartime the business, because I'm not interested in doing institutional or generic atrocities, a woman can things. be just like a man. http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/people/features/2436/ 5/20/2004 30th Anniversary Issue/ Ian Schrager: `In'-Keeper Page 2 of 2 We've now consolidated into one strategic company under one umbrella, with Ac Bear With Us one management, and really put this in a position to take our show on the Low interest rates, strong road. I probably didn't have to work another day before this transaction in job growth, and rosy which Schrager sold a controlling interest in his properties. But really, if you VaIuePC corporate profits usually do it for the money, it's a perversion of the process. I need to express myself. Control yr spell a bull market. So I'm fortunate: I happen to be doing something I love. Money is just sort of a Nightclub why are the grizzlies on way of keeping score; the real test is when somebody walks into your hotel, Touchscr the loose? and a smile creeps across his face, and his spirits are lifted because he sees something he hasn't seen before. That,to me, is the payoff-- not the money. Interviewed by Beth Landman Keil .—. Restaur f r"• :Mh; Plexi Tab Holders 1 • Related Links: ►Previous Stories: Cover Story Archive Ship Disp �:,• a�r ►Also In This Issue: New York Magazine-April 06, 1998 From the April 06, 1998 issue of New York Magazine. Affordat Contents for Promotioi This Week's Issue Sale/Ren Manufact =AV S ky C3! New Yoi Reduced NYC club velvet list vetvethst co Same D: Full Color Printing F Hours Na Back to homepage d E-mail this article Copyright©2002,New York Metro,Llc.All rights reserved. New York Metro:About Us I Contact.Js I Privacy Policy I Terms of Use I Search/Archives I Advertise with Us I Newsletters New York Magazine: About NewYork I Contact-New Yo,k I Subscribe to the Magazine I Customer Services I Media Kit MetroTV:About MetroChannels I Contact MetroTV http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/people/features/2436/ 5/20/2004