Do You Miss Shenanigans Nightclub In Augusta As Much As I Do?
If you have lived in an area for more than a few years, you have probably realized that adult entertainment venues come and go. This is true no matter where you are, even in Central Maine.
One of the most loved, but now closed, nightspots in Central Maine was Shenanigans Nightclub. Even though it has been closed for four years, people still bring it up in conversations with friends.
Operated by Frank Berenyi, the Water Street, Augusta, nightclub, which was aimed at the young adults of Central Maine, opened in 2012. Much like the college bars of Portland's Old Port, the nightclub served up discount drinks, shot specials, and race the clock specials. And, nearly every weekend, there was some kind of event - wet t-shirt contest, ugly sweater contest, Easter Egg Hunt, lap dance contest, etc. The establishment also hosted chem free nights for area teens.
Well known local DJs like DJ Matt James, VJ Pulse, DJ Swails, and DJ Doze threw down the beats on Friday and Saturday nights. And, the club frequently hosted live hip hop shows.
Sadly, the final last call for the bar was after the December 31st, 2017 New Years Eve party. The owner and staff needed a break and the place was in need of some renovations. Unfortunately, the establishment never re-opened.
The building the club was located in has since been purchased by local realtor Matt Pouliot. He and his wife have done extensive renovations to the building. There are new retails spaces and apartments in the building and we hear that the old spot where Shenanigans was located will be used as an event space. Shenanigans owner Frank has gone on to operate other successful businesses.
Even though the bar is long gone, the customers who frequented the club at the height of its popularity still talk about the good times that they had there.
A veteran of the bar / nightclub business once told me that the average nightspot has a lifespan of about 18 months. Actually, I am pretty sure that veteran bar owner was Shenanigans owner Frank B. That does not mean that the owners did anything wrong, it is just a fact of life. Unless you are in a major tourist area, where there is a fast turnover of potential customers, bars & nightclubs tend to lose traction after a year or so. This is because the target audience tends to get bored. Of course, the life of a place can be greatly extended by constantly trying new things and doing the occasional remodel.