A Brooklyn nightclub is marking its first birthday the only way it seems to know how: by throwing a 72-hour party. Refuge NYC, tucked into a converted industrial building on Ten Eyck Street in East Williamsburg, will run a nonstop anniversary celebration from Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27.
The club opened on Ten Eyck Street in 2025 and quickly built a reputation around extended DJ sets and a custom four-point analogue sound system, according to Time Out New York. That system, nicknamed REX, consists of four 10-foot speaker stacks surrounding the dance floor and was engineered by co-founder Craig “Shorty” Bernabeu, who previously built sound systems for Brooklyn's Nowadays and Montreal's Stereo, according to Resident Advisor. Bernabeu co-founded the venue alongside longtime promoter John DiMatteo.
A 150-Year-Old Building Built for Sound
Refuge occupies a 150-year-old industrial building in East Williamsburg, with 35-foot ceilings and a 3,200-square-foot interior. Acoustic engineering for the space came from Al Fierstein of Acoustilog Inc., who previously worked with historic New York nightlife institutions including Studio 54, Paradise Garage, and Sound Factory, the outlet notes.
The venue has a floating wood dance floor that has been sanded and refinished. Beatportal reports that mobile phones are banned at Refuge.
Seven Years of Scouting Before Opening Night
Getting to opening night took years. DiMatteo and Bernabeu spent seven years searching for a Brooklyn location before finding the Ten Eyck Street building in August 2023. In its first year, the club drew attendees from 78 countries and territories, and it has capacity for 500 people.
Deep Dish, A-Trak and a Sunrise Set to Close It Out
The anniversary weekend's headline draw is Deep Dish, the duo of Dubfire and Sharam. Saturday's lineup includes the club's own co-founders, DiMatteo and Bernabeu, alongside Ragie Ban, per Time Out. Brothers Macklovitch — the duo of A-Trak and Chromeo's Dave 1 — will close out the party Sunday night, with Victor Calderone performing a sunrise set that morning.
Attendees are advised to check the club's website for set times, tickets, and entry details.
A Different Model Than Its Nightlife Neighbors
Refuge sits inside East Williamsburg's Industrial Business Zone, an area that has grown into an unofficial nightlife enclave with roughly 15 music and cultural venues within walking distance, including Signal, according to Beatportal. Nearby, the former Brooklyn Mirage complex was redeveloped and reopened this summer as Pacha New York under a 10-year, $27 million commitment that actually lowered the venue's overall capacity to 8,145, according to Bushwick Daily. Refuge has a 500-person capacity and bans phones.
Deep Dish is scheduled for a 12-hour opening slot at Refuge's first-anniversary party, which will run for 72 hours.
