By Sacha Delfosse
The team behind Melbourne's Kodiak Club and Little Blood bars have launched a new 'underground' nightclub called Ponce.
The idea behind the new nightclub developed organically, owner Nathan Debritt said, and initially it started out as a "late night lock-in spot for Fitzroy's hospo set after the closing of Hell Towers Saloon".
"We had a set of decks lying in the basement and after a few weeks of ever increasing crowds we decided to put a bar in and make it a proper venue for our friends. Problem was they started turning up earlier and earlier with more and more friends."
"One week in March I looked around and recognised no one, or for that matter if they were legally allowed to be in a venue, it was then I realised we had built a nightclub… that served banging classic cocktails till 5am," said Debritt.
Ponce has now become one of "the hottest night spots in town", according to Debritt, but due to complaints from the local council regarding the lines of people outside and issues with the smoking area; he is now looking for a new location for the nightclub.
"Also the crowds for the Kodiak and Little Blood aren't cohesive with the Ponce crowd so we are currently looking to take her out of the basement and into the city where she belongs. It's Fight Club with less clothes, more drinking and no actual fighting," said Debritt.