Photography by Joseph Sicolo @sicoli.ethBrooklyn nightlife’s post-pandemic club revival hit its stride in 2025. The creative corridor between East Williamsburg and Bushwick is now home to at least three new dance clubs, with the largest and most ambitious being Refuge.
Refuge is a high def dance club featuring a 10-foot tall, 4-point analog REX system engineered by co-owner Craig ‘Shorty’ Bernabeu. Earplugs may not even be necessary, so let’s just say the sound is dialed. I’m a big fan of the custom-made floated wood dancefloor, designed to absorb impact and return energy. There are plans to turn their outdoor courtyard into its own venue, as well as add a second dance floor in the basement next year.
Refuge touts having the “best vibes in the land”: heated tents outside the club during the winter, free filtered water, a chill out lounge, self-service lockers, a food truck featuring nutritious food that helps keep you dancing all night (and maybe through the next day?!), and of course, a no photos on the dancefloor policy. I’m excited to see how it evolves and if it can rise to the occasion, cementing itself as a Brooklyn mainstay.
