
Avant Gardner Could Be Trying To Sell The Brooklyn Mirage
*Featured Cover Photo Credit: Avant Gardner / Brooklyn Mirage
Avant Gardner, the parent company of the highly-esteemed music venue Brooklyn Mirage, may try to sell the venue as a result of financial difficulties. The news come after more than two months ago when the venue had planned to reopen by that time. According to an article by BKMAG, an eyewitness who was dining at French restaurant, Per Se, in Columbus Circle, overheard Avant Gardner’s non-executive Chairman of The Board Gary Richards, also known by his DJ alias Destructo, discussing the difficulties the company had encountered finding a buyer.
The eyewitness told BKMAG reported hearing Richards saying, “I was literally in the restaurant and he was sitting at the table right next to me. It was pure chance. I was looking at them the whole night, talking about how they want to sell Avant Gardner because it’s bleeding money, that they’re looking to get a buyer, but it’s impossible right now“. Gary Richards arrived on the Board to replace former Brooklyn Mirage CEO Josh Wyatt, who himself came on in October 2024 for the main purpose of reinvigorating the Avant Gardner company. However, Wyatt later received the sack back in May as a result of consecutive delayed shows.
Opinions about Avant Gardner potentially selling Brooklyn Mirage
In the same aforementioned article from BKMAG, there were statements that Avant Gardner members have made that talked about the potential sale of the venue. One member of the Operations team, who chose to keep their identity anonymous due to fear of retribution, stated that they’ve also heard the sale rumors. This person also said, “If they don’t get bought, they’ll definitely have to file bankruptcy. The company is so broke that certain employees are missing months of back pay and they’re not paying any holiday incentive wages. As far as speculation goes from me, this summer is a wash“.
Show cancelations and relocations happening as a result of the delays
The Brooklyn Mirage initially planned to reopen on May 1 but failed safety inspections, unmet construction deadlines, and an ever-growing discontent from the fans have put on that grand reopening. Ten weeks of shows at Brooklyn Mirage have had to cancel or relocate to other venues, which includes REZZ‘s awesome event at Central Park. Furthemore, BKMAG added that amongst those canceled shows are Black Coffee‘s four-show residency, as well as Boiler Room‘s upcoming two-day event this weekend, have received the cancelation or relocation treatment. Brooklyn Mirage itself still has not offered a public statement since canceling its Memorial Day shows.