WEST PALM BEACH — The announcement in September that Camelot would close its doors after 12 years prompted a brief bout of hand-wringing about Clematis Street’s future. The end for the nightclub just off the downtown strip came on the heels of two restaurant closures nearby.
The former owner of Camelot, Jeremiah Pitts, concedes that “downtown doesn’t have the best image right now.” But he is not giving up on Clematis. And he’s putting his money where his mouth is, launching a new club in the same space.
Exit Camelot. Enter Sophia.
It some ways it’s a variation on a theme — a club-slash-lounge in Camelot’s former space, seeking to evoke a dreamy mid-20th century glamor.
But Pitts says behind the chandeliers, gold trim and low-lit cabaret lamps lies
a new calculation.
The city has changed since Camelot opened in 2014, Pitts says, and so have nightlife habits. More people today need a reason to go out, and Sophia (named after iconic Italian model and actress Sophia Lauren) aims to cater to an earlier-going, less hard-drinking crowd.
Sophia will be the rare West Palm nightspot to only admit customers 23 or older, he says.
The aim is to open earlier and get going earlier than many other Clematis clubs, with the idea that people out and about won’t have to wait until midnight to find an energetic dance floor.
As West Palm Beach matures into a city with a larger professional class, Pitts is looking to attract more of them by differentiating Sophia from rowdier venues that attract college students and late-night revelers.
“We’re going for older clientele, 23 and up,” he said. “If you go out and you go to dinner and you want a place to dance, we’re your place.”
Pitts said he is hoping to make Sophia a locale that features established DJs, shrinking the dance floor slightly to make more room for DJ equipment.
The club will have a membership tier, valet parking and a menu of “zero proof” (non-alcoholic) cocktails.
Despite some of the recent closures downtown, Pitts, a veteran operator of downtown nightspots, said he is excited for its future, citing the upcoming opening of a food hall on Clematis’ west end and new eateries preparing to open on the strip’s east side.
With more buzz being generated by CityPlace and the Nora District, the city’s main street is still a place where a club that promises a more intimate vibe can prosper, he said.
“For us, it’s more about reaching the right person,” he said.
With its opening scheduled for Oct. 22, Sophia will start out opening Thursdays through Saturdays, from 8 a.m. until late. It is located at 114 S. Narcissus Ave.
For more information visit www.sophiawestpalmbeach.com.
Andrew Marra is a reporter at The Palm Beach Post. Reach him at amarra@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Replacing Camelot, new downtown club eyes different West Palm vibe
