Greenwich Village will welcome its first new music venue in nearly 20 years this fall with the opening of Bleecker Bell, a 200-capacity club at 163 Bleecker Street.
The venue is the latest addition to the Wha Entertainment stable, which also operates Café Wha? and Groove, and will be linked to the company’s concert promotion division, Village Presents.
Bleecker Bell will feature modern sound, lighting, and acoustic systems, hosting intimate performances by emerging and established artists across folk, Americana, jazz, and rock.
The operational team includes:
- Rani Marom, Ofer Cohen, and Nir Liwnat, principals who previously held management and operations roles at the former B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in Times Square and The Blue Note.
- Benjamin Chuchinsky, co-principal, who serves as Managing Director of Café Wha Entertainment and band leader of the Café Wha? House Band.
- Hap Pardo, Director of Musical Operations, whose credits include work with Van Halen, Elton John, Sabrina Carpenter, and Jon Batiste.
- Andi Kausch, Graphic Designer and Marketing Specialist.
“While creating Bleecker Bell, we’ve been deeply inspired by the musical and cultural impact of Greenwich Village across decades. Since 1958, the legendary Café Wha? alone has hosted Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and Allen Ginsberg, with Bleecker St becoming the place to discover new artists. We’re excited to reintroduce that joy and power of intimate live music to new audiences.”
