{"id":291488,"date":"2026-07-09T16:18:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T16:18:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/291488\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T16:18:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T16:18:11","slug":"members-only-club-in-the-works-for-williamsburg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/291488\/","title":{"rendered":"Members-Only Club in the Works for Williamsburg"},"content":{"rendered":"

Patrons can expect the club to feature live music, a rooftop lounge, and a retail element, according to a liquor license application submitted to Brooklyn Community Board 1.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"scaffolding\"scaffolding <\/p>\n

Construction is underway at the former Urban Outfitters building on North 6th St., where Breitling and VCR Group plan to open a members-only club by 2027. Photo by Brennan LaBrie<\/p>\n

by Brennan LaBrie, Brooklyn Paper<\/p>\n

A luxury watchmaker and the group behind the \u201cworld\u2019s first NFT restaurant<\/a>\u201d are bringing a members-only club to Williamsburg.<\/p>\n

The multi-floor establishment planned for North 6th Street is a joint venture between the Swiss watch brand Breitling and VCR Group<\/a>, which operates a private dining club in the Lower East Side and several high-end restaurants across New York City and Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

Among VCR Group\u2019s four founders is Gary Vaynerchuk (also known as Gary Vee<\/a>), the media mogul, Resy cofounder, investor, and polarizing Internet personality<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The concept is set to bring life to a three-story brick building previously home to Urban Outfitters<\/a>. Patrons can expect the club to feature live music, a rooftop lounge, and a retail element, according to a liquor license application submitted to Brooklyn Community Board 1.<\/p>\n

The community board voted unanimously to recommend approval of a liquor license for the venue in May, sending its recommendation on to the New York State Liquor Authority for review.<\/p>\n

VCR Group aims to open the club by the second half of 2027, according to the company\u2019s co-founder and CEO, David Rodolitz.<\/p>\n

\"buildingThe three-story brick building on North 6th Street is undergoing renovation ahead of a planned 2027 opening. Photo by Brennan LaBrie<\/p>\n

For now, Rodolitz and the Breitling team are tight-lipped about the project, telling Brooklyn Paper that they plan to release more details later this year.<\/p>\n

However, Flyfish Club<\/a>, VCR Group\u2019s members-only social club on Houston Street, could offer hints as to what to expect from the new establishment.<\/p>\n

The ritzy club, which spans three levels and 12,000 square feet, features a restaurant, speakeasy lounge, private dining room, and a \u201cdiscreet omakase counter reserved for select members,\u201d according to its website.<\/p>\n

When Flyfish Club memberships went live in January 2022, they could only be acquired using an NFT (a non-fungible token on the blockchain) purchased with cryptocurrency.<\/p>\n

Memberships, priced in Ethereum, were reported to cost<\/a> the equivalent of $8,000 to $14,000 at that time. Flyfish Club sold 1,151 membership tokens on its public launch day, and raked in $14.8 million before even opening its doors.<\/p>\n

But right before opening day, the club paid a $750,000 penalty<\/a> to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for selling the NFTs as unregistered securities.<\/p>\n

VCR Group had led investors to believe that they could profit from the club\u2019s earnings by leasing or reselling their NFTs on the secondary market, and then netted $2.7 million in royalties from sales on trading platforms, the SEC alleged<\/a>. The company agreed to destroy remaining NFT tokens<\/a>, cease selling new ones, and pay back investors.<\/p>\n

\"brickThe building in 2024. Photo by Susan De Vries<\/p>\n

Now, memberships can be bought with cash<\/a> \u2014 but there\u2019s a waitlist. Individual memberships cost $3,500 annually, a package including a spouse is $4,000 a year, and the \u201comakase\u201d tier comes with annual dues of $5,500. Each tier requires a $2,500 activation fee.<\/p>\n

However, in a phone call with Brooklyn Paper, Rodolitz stressed that the Williamsburg space will not be another Flyfish Club.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an entirely different concept,\u201d he said. \u201cIt will have a strong focus on food and community, and the design will be extremely thoughtful with a leading designer. There will be an energy that represents things we\u2019re known for and things Breitling is known for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each floor will provide a unique experience for members, he said. The rooftop, which also hosted a bar when Urban Outfitters occupied the building, will be a highlight.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a rooftop with stunning views and that will be activated to create stunning experiences for the people who decide to spend time there,\u201d Rodolitz said.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s \u201ca long road ahead\u201d on the project, he added, but said he\u2019s \u201cextremely excited\u201d to help bring Breitling\u2019s vision for a hospitality venture to life.<\/p>\n

In an April letter to Brooklyn Community Board 1, Tyler Foote, a North Williamsburg resident, expressed unease about the planned club.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am deeply concerned about how a private for-profit club would affect the peace of myself and all my neighbors around me,\u201d Foote wrote. \u201cPlease consider the desires of the residents and especially families who live here year round and will have to deal with the repercussions of added noise pollution.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Urban Outfitters left Williamsburg in 2024, Brownstoner noted<\/a> it was among the first global brands to land in the neighborhood. When it opened its doors in 2014, it stood out amid storefronts housing small, locally owned businesses and eateries.<\/p>\n

In the following years, major brands, ranging from Apple and Whole Foods to Chanel and Carhartt, set up shop in the neighborhood, paving the way for an elite dining club in a community once known as a haven for artists.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here<\/a> to see the original story.<\/p>\n

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Email tips@brownstoner.com<\/a> with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n