The Roxy is in the centre of the Granville Entertainment District, but there once was a time when it was the only nightclub in the 900 block, surrounded mostly by porn shops and seedy hotels.

The Roxy’s general manager, Peter Martin, told the Georgia Straight that the club opened its doors in 1988 in what was then a very rough neighbourhood. “There were lots of undesirables, lots of drug-dealer types, because Granville Street was not a good place,” he recalled in a phone interview.

Thanks mostly to the efforts of the Roxy’s owner, Blaine Culling, Vancouver city council took steps to change that. In June 1997, council gave birth to the Granville Entertainment District by granting approval-in-principle to the creation of 1,000 new liquor-licence seats in the 700-to-900 blocks of Granville Street. New clubs and bars opened up along the strip, with some like the Caprice built in converted movie theatres.

Tonight (August 14), the Roxy is celebrating its 20th birthday and Culling’s efforts to transform the area into the hub of Vancouver’s nightlife scene. To commemorate the event, Martin said that the Roxy has spent an “obscene amount of money” on a new lighting system for the dance floor and stage. He added that there’s also a new paint job and new carpets, and the upholstery has been redone in time for the party. Doors open to the public at 9 p.m.

“We’re going to celebrate the accomplishments of Blaine and what Granville Street has become,” Martin said. “Granville Street has literally been built around the Roxy.”

Martin was born in the late 1960s and virtually grew up in the building that houses the cabaret. His father owned the property, which included two restaurants: Jack’s Hanging Tree and Love’s Skillet.

In 1980, Martin said, his father knocked down the wall that separated them to create a nightclub called Jack’s Hanging Tree, which featured go-go dancers, strippers, disco, and live bands at different periods. It became the Roxy in 1988.

“They had a hard time getting anyone in here because of Granville Street,” Martin recalled. “It was just not a good place to be.”

Culling soldiered on with the help of bands like Doug and the Slugs, and within a few months the crowds got larger. Today, Martin said, Culling is like a “happy puppy dog” who has retained his enthusiasm for the business and for it employees.

The Roxy’s slogan—“Where life is like a beer commercial”—makes it a great place to work, according to Martin. He added that people who’ve worked there for fewer than 10 years are considered newbies.

“Most bars don’t have employees for five or six years, let alone 10 or 14,” he said.