(Image: Vice Seattle)
In a neighborhood already so immoral and so wicked, who dares call their nightclub Vice? It is a lot to live up to.
Vice Seattle, the newest nightlife offering in Capitol Hill’s robust nightlife economy, opened in July with a crisp opening weekend for the hundreds that came to ring in the red carpet launch and dance to world-champion EDM artist Four Color Zack.
Capitol Hill is known for its club scene and Vice is proud to be a new stop for party-goers, bookending the Pike and Pine track on Minor below Capitol Hill’s Melrose Market.
It takes work — and experience — to be this wicked.
“We’ve built a nightlife environment that is intentional and by design, so we can put on a really good show,” Vice’s Guy Godefroy says.. “It’s just fun to have everything dialed in.”
Vice is now resident in the basement level of Melrose Market, a mid-sized, brick-lined industrial space that the Vice team redesigned from the ground up. Complete with a custom-sound system and “jaw-dropping arrangement of LED visuals,” Vice is equipped to put on a good show.
(Image: Vice Seattle)
CHS reported here in July on the arrival of the “next level of nightlife” venture from the ownership behind the Forum Social House, an activities and club space in Bellevue’s Lincoln Square mall.
The club is part of a new wave of activity around the Melrose Market development after the market’s 2019 purchase by Regency Centers, the same real estate investment trust that owns the Broadway Market shopping center. New food and drink options from Harry’s Good Times plus Cantina Sauvage and Cafe Suliman are also part of the mix.
Around the block, San Francisco-based real estate company Prado Group’s purchase of the market’s neighboring property has also brought a host of changes including the new Cheese Room in the old Machiavelli space and the opening soon, first Seattle expansion of Voodoo Doughnuts.
Vice Seattle joins a block where nightlife ventures have been a mixed bag. Nightlife spot Still Liquor has grown beyond its original “Americana” speakeasy concept into a popular hip hop and R&B club. The block’s other nightlife venue has remained shuttered since Mint Lounge was boarded-up in 2023 after a series of shootings and gun violence incidents outside the club.
Run and operated by a seasoned crew, Vice is set up for smooth success. After finding the Melrose basement space, Vice owner Noah Garroutte, also the managing partner at Forum Social Group, joined forces with Godefroy, a Seattle native with decades of nightlife management experience. Godefroy is the Managing Partner of Vice.
Vice is open on Friday and Saturday nights—and Fridays are all about EDM. Vice teamed up with White Rabbit Group, an EDM experience company, brought in to put on Friday nights, booking and hosting top local and touring talent.
(Image: Vice Seattle)
SHAKE Saturdays are open-format parties with “all your favorite music,” mixed Vegas-style and designed to dance to, booked and hosted by Godefroy. SHAKE will be home to resident local DJs Berry, Wavy, Nami, and Yo! Adrian, as well as special guests and touring artists, according to their website.
“We’re excited to bring new talent to the neighborhood…talent people want to see. And they’ll be able to experience it on a really high-end, well-tuned sound system, with the best lighting show in the city,” said Godefroy.
Godefroy is stoked to be back on Capitol Hill. With stories of his parents meeting at Seattle Central Community College, to frequenting The Moe and other hotspots himself in the 90’s, he has a lot of love for the neighborhood.
“It’s fun and rewarding to have taken this direction in my career, where I’m able to be back in a community that feels so much like home to me,” Godefroy said.
Vice is part of a new generation of club activity on the Hill. Massive debuted in the old R Place building to end 2023 as part of a new wave of nightlife investments around the neighborhood including the opening of Cultura on E Pike and new ownership at Neighbours.
(Image: Vice Seattle)
Godefroy isn’t worried about a saturated nightlife scene on Capitol Hill, in fact, he welcomes it. “Capitol Hill is super vibrant right now, there’s a ton to do,” said Godefroy. “I’ve been going out in Capitol Hill for years and years and it’s always been about the pub crawl—one stop to the next and the next. We’re adding one more interesting stop, and I think that’s fun.”
After a relatively hiccup-free opening (minus a couple hours with a broken AC), the Vice team is looking to implement additional programming once they get settled. There’s talk of launching Tuesday nights in the fall, “inviting the community in to produce events in the space,” and more, said Godefroy.
“The people make the party. The people are going to show up here and we’ll continue to shape it from there.”
Vice is located at 1532 Minor Ave. Learn more at viceseattle.com.
(Image: Vice Seattle)
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