Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

Arts & Entertainment

Gowanus Residents: Please Stop Messing With The Shuffleboard Club

Jen Carlson

Published Sep 4, 2012

Modified Sep 4, 2012

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

Jen Carlson

Published Sep 4, 2012

Modified Sep 4, 2012

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Shuffleboard in the Bronx, 1942. (via LIFE)

Gowanus used to be so cool. But in the present day, residents of the neighborhood are raging against the Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club that plans to open in the area next year. The shuffleboard club is a legit shuffleboard club—in other words, it's not just called a shuffleboard club for kitschy cache or as a cover for an S&M club or something. It's actually a shuffleboard club, like the one near your grandparents' condo in Boca Raton. Have you ever heard your grammy complain about all that racket coming from the shuffleboard courts? You haven't! Because no one has ever complained about noise from shuffleboard, until now.

As you know, some residents recently expressed concern about the club—which plans to serve booze—worried drunks wielding biscuits and tangs would overtake the streets, high on their latest shuffleboard win. Now the Brooklyn Paper reports that "owners Ashley Albert and Jonathan Schnapp say they’ll scale back... after angry residents — some of whom are circulating a petition to stop the club from opening — blasted the planned venue at Union Street and Third Avenue at a Community Board 6 meeting on its liquor license bid." One resident said, “We feel the presence of a huge club throws off the balance of the neighborhood." It's also what to expect when you move into a burgeoning neighborhood that's filled with giant, unused warehouses and buildings. We got in touch with Schnapp today, and he tells us:

"The compromises we're making are to make our neighbors comfortable with the fact that we're going to be an asset to the community and not a burden. Easy things like limiting our capacity to around 250 people and closing a little earlier on weeknights seem like they can go a long way to quell fears and make people feel better about our project. We really feel as though we're going to be able to find some common ground and that our neighborhood will embrace our shuffleboard club in the end."

Neighborhood, don't ruin this... we've waited so long.

Tagged

Gowanus

royal palms

shuffleboard

shuffleboard club

Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE arts-entertainment

The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?

Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.

Lindsay Lee Wallace

Published Oct 8, 2026

Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.

James Ramsay

Arts & Entertainment

Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.

James Ramsay

What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.

Jayson Greene

Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City

Sonia Rao

Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries

Alec Hamilton

Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .