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AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

The Bar Belle: Fur Nightclub

Fur Nightclub
33 Patterson St. N.E.

Unless you are an active participant in the D.C. club scene or subscribe to the right club promoter’s listserv, you probably have not heard of The District’s newest posh nightclub – Fur. As someone who belongs to the latter category with a duty to present and dissect nightlife for my constituents, I forwent my usual scene to venture to the four-month-old “four luxurious clubs in one.”

This is a shout out to every Paris Hilton wannabe at GW: Before you rally up a group of party princesses, I have a few warnings that may impede your partying at Fur. Do not go to N.E. territory without checking out the directions on the Web site. If you have never heard of Patterson Street then it is very likely your cabdriver hasn’t either, and he will yell and/or charge you an exorbitant fare. Also, if you are either cheap, a member of the Toby Keith fan club, a sloppy dresser, chorophobic (fear of dancing for all you laymen) or impatient, the club is not worth your while.

For those of you who don’t fit into any of those categories or will pop a Prozac and down a martini, here’s what to expect at Fur on a Friday night.

We followed the giant light beam in the sky and made it to the club’s entrance. Since being the Bar Belle affords certain privileges, I bypassed both the lengthy line and the $20 general admission. Luckily, I remembered to leave my weapons at home and proceeded past the security screening as others stood with goose bumps protruding on bare stomachs and icicles forming on gelled coifs.

Animal rights activists can leave their red paint at home. The name Fur only refers to the building’s past as a fur storage warehouse, of which the current layout and contemporary d?cor are not reminiscent. I received a tour of the entire club and visited all the fantastic VIP rooms that only a lot of money or good connections could buy. After my 15 minutes of fame, I was left to search for my friends. I got stuck in the salsa room (a.k.a. claustrophobic’s hell) but eventually found my way to the tunnel that led to the large central dance floor. This area, called the Arena, played popular rap music over a great sound system. I danced for a while, but then decided to take advantage of my temporary VIP status and snaked through the crowd to the Mink Room. Although few college students will step foot in the room, it is worth mentioning for the girl-on-girl action on the stage over the bar.

After several hours of vigorous dancing and having photos taken by a creepy guy, I decided we should leave a little before last call to avoid the rush. Also, the $11 Red Bull vodkas and $6 beers were burning holes in all our pockets. I hung out for a moment at the Bistro near the door but quickly questioned its coffee and finger food offerings amid the vodka tonic-wielding dancers. Fortunately, there were legitimate cab drivers waiting at the exit to take us back to GWorld.

Bar Belle
Rating: 3/5

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