Bossa Nova Civic Club Closed Indefinitely After Fire

According to Instagram, a fire in the third floor apartment seriously injured a tenant, who is still being hospitalized, and killed their dog. The fire ultimately didn't reach the ground floor, but the club space and building did sustain enough damage that it's "safe to say we will be closed for a notable amount of time."

A hub for underground club sounds and emerging artists and DJs, Bossa Nova Civic Club has been a much-beloved staple of Brooklyn's DIY nightlife community since it first opened nine years ago. The venue has been a home base for NYC techno collective Discwoman, as well as a frequent stomping ground for plenty of local favorites such as AceMo, MoMA Ready and more. It even helped legalize dance floors in NYC by fighting to overturn the outdated Cabaret Law.

Following word of Bossa's closure, countless DJs and local artists mourned the loss on Twitter by sharing fond memories of nights spent at the club. Berlin via New York DJ and artist Juliana Huxtable wrote, "I LOVE @BossaNovaCivic SO MUCH AND HEARING THAT THE BUILDING IT'S IN CAUGHT FIRE IS BREAKING MY HEART. I HOPE EVERYONE IS OK."

One of the few local venues to have survived the wave of DIY venue closures brought on by COVID-19, Bossa's announcement comes as a major blow to the Brooklyn's nightlife scene. In response, Bossa Nova Civic Club has started a GoFundMe to help support staff, bar and tenants.

"This space is a second home to a lot of us and has cultivated many careers, friendships and chosen families," organizers write. "Bossa has endured but survived an extreme amount of adversities, during a pandemic no less. This level of harm needs the full backing of the community to restore. Please help us, thank you."

Photography: Seze Devres