Area ― 1983-1987

The fabled New York nightclub Area opened its doors in September 1983 and virtually overnight became the nexus of one of the most vibrant downtown art and club scenes in New York. Despite its short-lived history (it closed in 1987), Area was the place where A-listers from disparate worlds went to see and be seen.
Area was the brainchild of four guys from California, among them author Eric Goode, whose vision was to create an art project on a monumental scale: Every six weeks, they gutted the enormous space at 157 Hudson and transformed it with a different art theme. Their wildly creative invitations to the opening night of each new installation became the hottest tickets in town, coveted by writers and photographers who together chronicled the club’s legendary scene. Drawing from an incredibly rich archive of material, Eric and Jennifer Goode tell the behind-the-scenes story of the club and its people, creating an illustrated memoir of an exciting time and place in the annals of New York nightlife.

Eric Goode is the co-owner of several hotels and restaurants in New York, including the Bowery Hotel, Bowery Bar, the Maritime Hotel, and the Waverly Inn. He is also the founder of the Turtle Conservancy. He lives in New York. His sister, Jennifer Goode, lives in Brooklyn.