THE 40/40 CLUB, an all-American sports bar and lounge owned by hip hop mogul Jay-Z and partner Juan Perez (6 West 25th Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway), opened its doors to the public in the Summer of 2003. Created by the three longtime friends, 40/40 is 8,000 square feet of pure sports and entertainment in an opulent lounge setting, providing a unique experience not found elsewhere in New York City.
"I love sports and wanted to create an environment that is conducive to my lifestyle, while being able to watch the games at the same time," said Jay-Z.
The $4 million multi-level space includes a 24' X 8' slate bar, a 16-foot wide staircase furnished with sleek seating on the steps, 15 LCD TV's, 8 plasmas (three of which are 60"), four 12' X 12' two-sided big screen TV's, a premium Cognac Room and three private VIP rooms. Two of the VIP rooms, the "Rmy Lounge" (appropriately named after Rmy Martin, Jay-Z's cognac of choice) and "Jay-Z's Room" are 24 X 16 each, and the third VIP room, "The Hall of Fame Lounge, " is 46 X 20. They are fully equipped with their own personal entertainment centers. 60" plasma TV's, Italian leather wrap-around couches, X-Box, Play Station 2, all controlled by their own touch-screen remotes. Each of the VIP rooms can hold from 15 to 150 people,depending on the size of the event. The Cognac Room, sponsored by Cohiba, is state of the art and complies with all New York State smoking laws. The room features exclusive cigar pieces on display including limited edition lighters, cigar cutters and cigar pieces made exclusively for Cohiba.
Recently constructed is the Club Space. Opened on October 6th, 2004, the Club Space boasts an additional 2,000 square feet. Equipped with 12' X 12' two-sided big-screen TV's, three 60" plasma flat-screen televisions, VIP seating accommodations and a separate 15 x 24 Slate Bar, The 40/40 Club Space has a capacity of 250 people, perfect for any occasion, small or large.
The 40/40 Club is named after one of baseball's most prestigious achievements. A benchmark for power and speed, The 40/40 Club includes players who hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in one season -- only Barry Bonds (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Jose Canseco (1988) and the newest fourth member, Alfonso Soriano (2006) can call The 40/40 Club home. The four jerseys of these men grace an area of the lounge to honor their great accomplishment. "When we were thinking of a name, we wanted something exclusive -- the 40/40 Club in baseball is as exclusive as it gets," said Jay-Z.
The dcor of 40/40 is a mix of memorabilia from this country's greatest games coupled with Manhattan sophistication. Six chairs suspended from the ceiling transcend guests from a sports bar to a lavish lounge in a matter of seconds. Lush purples and charcoal glazing adorn the walls while rich slate imported from South America makes up the flooring, bars and tabletops. The furniture on the 16 foot wide slate stairs was produced in Marcy Place, Jay-Z's childhood neighborhood. The 40/40 is accented by over 300 pillows that were, designed by owner Juan Perez's childhood friend's mother and handcrafted in her home in Washington Heights.
Autographed jerseys given by various famous players who wear the number 40 hang from all points of the lounge along with other famous jerseys, such as Michael Jordan's number 23 and Lawrence Taylor's number 56.
"Memorabilia Hallway" connects the main floor to the private rooms and houses used jerseys, balls, bats and other used game equipment. "We tried to create a place that would be favorable to both men and women, and we think we have found it with the combination of sports and an upscale hip lounge," said owner Juan Perez. Executive Chef Juan Javas created a menu that is sure to please both the sports fan and the casual diner. Guests will be enticed by the Latin-Soul lounge food, with menu selections like "The Picnic" (fried deviled eggs and southern-fried chicken sticks, with our own signature 40/40 sauce), mouth-watering skewers, and a variety of tasty mini treats including burgers, tacos, and pizzas.
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