Calgary’s newest gay hotspot opened its doors on November 12th of last year. Located on 11th avenue, and thus within walking distance of much of Calgary’s gay community, The Twisted Element has seen success that surpassing the vision of owners RJ Fafard, and Cliff Andrews. With six months of maintaining a packed house under their belt, RJ and Cliff, a couple for 17 years now, sat down with GayCalgary.com to talk about the club’s short but eventful past and bright future.
“It was many years in the making. Every time we went out and visited bars we would get different ideas and concepts, which we wrote down,” said RJ.
“The community is growing so there was an opportunity. We have noticed in the last couple of years that people we used to see out had stopped going out to the nightlife in the gay scene. After we sold our restaurant Chicken Hawks we started looking, finally it was the right time, right place, and everything fell into place,” added Cliff. “We kept looking for spaces. We had a couple of places fall through because the landlords didn’t want to rent to us. We were upfront that this would be a gay space because we didn’t want consequences down the road. There is not a lot of space out there when you are looking in a specific area.”
The initial searches lead to the many dead-ends that gay establishments typically face due to squeamish landlords. But when the location that formerly housed The Roxbury Firewater and The Machine became available, the two men quickly realized it was exactly what they were looking for. The club was born in a matter of weeks. Cliff spoke about the amount of hard work that went into the preparation.
“We put in an offer to purchase, and from possession to opening we worked around the clock for several weeks. We wanted to make sure we weren’t one of those clubs that never seems to open. We had people saying ‘there is no way they are opening’ but we did, on time.”
Those who attended the grand opening weekend seemed to like what they saw – open space, large windows, comfortable color scheme, free parking, no cover charge, low drink prices and an open-door policy to everyone.
“Providing an atmosphere where everyone is welcome is the key. Young, middle aged, gay, lesbian, straight, twink, leather, you can come here and have a good time and be yourself. It is a club to come and have fun with lots of energy in the room and be yourself, without [the need for] pretension or being on guard,” said RJ. “Gay Calgarian’s deserve a hot gay nightclub that is fresh and new… When we first opened, the first thing people noticed was that we were right off 11th avenue. It was brightly lit and you don’t have to be ashamed.”
This philosophy is shared by Cliff.
“We can’t discriminate against our own people; it is done enough by straight people so for us to do it against each other is wrong. In some ways we are bridging the community by presenting our lifestyles to people. We felt that a cover wasn’t a way to provide for the community. You only have a certain amount of money to spend clubbing, we would rather they spend $5 on drinks than just to get in the door. Special events like New Years or The White Party do charge a cover, which covers the costs of our decorations. We don’t make money off of the cover for special events,” he said.
“We are starting to see a lot of new faces in the community that didn’t go to other clubs, because when you walked through the door [of those clubs] you were gay. Here you can be comfortable that it is a mixed crowd. We have seen new faces and old faces we haven’t seen in eons having a good time. We are thankful for the customer base we have. We didn’t see it having the effect it did but it has all blended together.”
Both men credit their staff as another key ingredient.
“We are proud of our staff, they were hand picked and we still have the same core staff we had since day one, and I don’t see them going anywhere in the future. It is a family; from the doorman who is the first impression of your bar, to the smiling guys at the coat check who treat you like your welcome, to the bartenders – they all work hard. Staff is a big part of what any establishment is about. If your staff are rude to your customers then that reflects on what type of bar you have. Our friendly outgoing staff reflects on us well to our customers.”
The club also recruited popular DJ Krazay Steve back to the gay circuit after two years. Krazay recently won Favorite DJ in the GayCalgary.com Reader’s Choice Survey for his work at Twisted Element in 2004.
“He brings years of experience, and knows how to keep the dance floor going. When he is in his groove the dance floor is packed from 10:45 till close. It is a sign of a good DJ that he knows what people want and how to get them there. We get criticized, and it is easier to criticize than to actually do it, but if he weren’t doing his job then the dance floor wouldn’t be full. There are different styles and genres, but people are having a good time.”
This isn’t the first venture for RJ and Cliff, who previously owned and operated Chicken Hawks bistro on 11th avenue. The restaurant was a catalyst to the birth of the club.
“We made a lot of contacts through that business – the liquor and beer reps. The restaurant prepared us for staffing issues and general day-to-day operations: purchasing, banking, everything you need. Chicken Hawks was a stepping-stone, if anyone thinks they can open a nightclub with no previous experience, good luck with that.”
Cliff emphasizes the fact that Twisted is more than just a nightclub.
“We have many facets: the food, the karaoke, the country dancing – we aren’t trying to take from the community. We could be very successful opening based purely on Friday and Saturday business, but that is not what our business philosophy is. We want to be here for the community.”
“At the end of the day our number one priority is that our customers are happy. It’s a clean, safe environment for people to come. Whether it’s partying on a Friday or Saturday night, coming in with your laptop for the wireless internet, sitting by the fireplace with a coffee or a beer, or checking out the drag shows, there is something for everyone. We don’t charge for entertainment. It isn’t about money; it is about providing a space for people. We have some of the most creative drag shows Calgary has seen in a while. Our in-house talent, Nina, Octavia, and Selma are truly committed to quality entertainment,” added RJ.
Giving back is also very important. The club has given away many door prizes as well as sponsored several community events and fundraisers. While there are rumors that Twisted takes from the community, the evidence says otherwise.
“We have donated several thousand dollars to various organizations. If we were taking from the community, we wouldn’t be sponsoring all of this. As well, we are reinvesting into the club, adding laser lights and new sound and furnishings. We are always saying, ‘What can we do to be better?’ When you stop doing that and lose interest in the bar, you lose the interest of your customers and what they want.”
With new investments and big plans in store, the future looks promising for The Twisted Element.
“We don’t want to give away too many secrets, but we can say to watch out. There will be a lot coming that is already budgeted for. We are planning on expanding and will be creating something that truly is a multifaceted part of the community,” said RJ.
Cliff makes the promise to continue keeping the club exciting.
“It can be easy to get complacent and not continue to be fresh. If we ever get to the point where we lose interest in Twisted, then we would hire a manager to keep it fresh and alive. Becoming complacent is where you go wrong.”
While it would be easy to get overconfident, Cliff and RJ don’t see things as a given. They know that if it wasn’t for the support of the community and their staff, they wouldn’t have lasted even this long.
“My customers keep me grounded. My job is to greet the customers as they walk in, and say thank you and goodnight when they walk out. Let your customers know that you appreciate their business,” said RJ. Cliff concluded the interview by simply stating their philosophy.
“We don’t take anything for granted, and are always looking for something better for the community. We aren’t reinventing the wheel but we are trying to perfect it.”
The Twisted Element
1006 11th Ave SW
(403) 802-0230
www.twistedelement.ca
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