Refuge

Refuge is a nightclub in Brooklyn, NY. Founded in 2025, the venue was designed around a custom four-point sound system mapping a square dancefloor, with speakers positioned to eliminate phase cancellation.

John Dimatteo and Craig 'Shorty' Bernabeu spent nearly a decade searching for the right space before founding Refuge in September 2025 at 360 Ten Eyck Street, a 19th-century industrial building that dates back to the mid-1800s. The venue was designed around the sound system first—mapping speakers to form a perfect square dancefloor, angled to avoid phase cancellation—with the rest of the club built around that sonic foundation. At its core is REX, a custom 4-point system with four 10-foot stacks. Bernabeu built a custom analog system to deliver warmth, clarity, and physical impact, restoring a standard he feels has been lost in the digital era. Dimatteo and Bernabeu cite New Jersey's Zanzibar, The Sound Factory, and Paradise Garage as inspiration. Dimatteo wants to see Refuge become a household name in the music scene—not a trendy venue, but one that withstands the test of time and becomes the destination nightclub the city was missing.