Louie Ysmael reveals the recipe to survive the night and how he’s continued to have an impact in the age of superclubs
It was a lovely Monday afternoon when MEGA Man virtually sat down with Louie Ysmael. After reaching out in the morning, he was fairly quick to schedule a chat later that day. Upon turning on his camera, we were presented with a figure in house clothes who revealed that he borrowed his daughter’s iPad for the interview—understandably, tech wasn’t his forte.
For those unaware, Ysmael was the founder of old, landmark clubs such as Stargazer, Euphoria, and Venezia—clubs that cemented his status as the “King of the Nightlife.”
Now 74, he’s more than witnessed the culture he built grow into what it is now. From generational shifts up until the establishment of new nightlife norms, Louie Ysmael has seen it all for the very kingdom he’s built.
The recipe
Asked about the success of his clubs, Ysmael openly gave a “recipe” to thrive in the nightlife scene. First came the network. Being in the scene for four decades now, it was a no-brainer to assume Ysmael had built one for himself. To add icing on the cake, his networks have spanned for generations, which meant that even the children or grandchildren of his associates have become affiliated with him.
He then proceeded to go on and cite safety measures, such as door control and security. While they may deal with intoxicated patrons, nightclubs were also never made to entertain unruly clients. “You [got to] make sure you don’t let any riff-raffs in,” he said.
Then, of course, were expected components, such as service, knowing the market, ambiance, and music taste, placing emphasis on the first and the last. He mentions that poor service won’t get you anywhere, and good music taste is “integral” to ensuring success in this industry.
Rounding it all up was marketing. All the more these days where one can find a drink anywhere, having good PR and marketing is crucial. “You know, all of these [are important]. If you don’t have one of these, you’re dead. They all go together,” Ysmael said with a light chuckle.
If anything, it’s this know-how that has continued to make him relevant.
Midas touch
In more recent times, Ysmael has collaborated with younger entrepreneurs to establish some known clubs in the current nightlife scene. Arguably, the most notable in this list is The Palace Complex in Bonifacio Global City—one that was established along with names such as Erik Cua and GP Reyes.
But according to him, it was more on opportunity, especially with his decades’ worth of experience, and again, networking. His aforementioned “recipe” is no doubt his contribution even toward today’s nightlife business.
“It was a match made in heaven, you know? My know-how and their know-how and their ability to run bigger clubs was perfect,” Ysmael said. “There’s always a certain formula on how to run a place. I brought the formula, and we tweaked it together with the other guys.”
And as compared to the past, this has resulted in clubs for multiple markets as Ysmael said. 71 Gramercy in Makati has that premium feel, Prive is an exclusive club, then of course, The Palace Complex contains some of the hottest establishments for the Gen Z crowd.
Notably, though, this is contrary to how he ran his landmark clubs. For those establishments, Ysmael was a sole proprietor. As he says, those clubs had a more “personal” touch to them.
The next crusade?
These days, Ysmael, in his words, is just “enjoying life” with his daughter—although he didn’t rule out the possibility of another venture.
“Who knows? I might come up with another project soon. As far as the nightlife business is concerned, I’m not done yet,” he said.
Whether or not the King of the Nightlife will continue to contribute is now a matter of when, not if.
Most recently, however, Ysmael released his memoir titled “Good Morning, Time to Sleep”. For those looking to avail a copy, they may contact its co-publisher GP Reyes through his email [email protected]
Featured Image and Photos from NEIL BENGZON and JM GONZALES
