Columbia Closings   What's not in Columbia anymore

Club Kryptonite was in what is actually one of the more normal looking buildings in its section of US-17 Bypass (just north of Broadway At The Beach) in Myrtle Beach. Sure it is somewhat cylindrical, has huge torches and a comic-book logo on the front, but it's not a pyramid like the nearby Hard Rock Cafe or a really awkward looking sphere like the next-door Planet Hollywood.

I would hear the Club Kryptonite commercials from time to time on the radio at the beach, and they always made it sound like a really hip, risque, happening, appealing place, except for the fact that I'm years past the target demo, don't dance, hardly drink, don't much like loud techno or hip-hop and get stopped up if there's any smoke in the air... Still I wouldn't have minded seeing the inside.

Looking at the club's fossil web page and various fliers one thing that is somewhat surprising is that there is no mention of any connection with DC Comics. It's obvious that the club's logo is meant to invoke Superman's chest shield and, of course, Kryptonite is the fictional substance that is Superman's one weakness (OK, he's also vulnerable to magic, but that's not as widely known..). Obviously the club couldn't use the famous "S" logo without permission, but apparently DC neglected to ever trademark the word "Kryptonite". (I actually think the spelling "Klub Kryptonite" would have worked a little better, appropos to nothing).

According to the Myrtle Beach Sun News, Halloween 2009 was the club's last gasp:

The party’s over at Club Kryptonite.

The business’s owner, Maximus Entertainment, LLC, was sued by Burroughs & Chapin Co. Inc. on Nov. 4 for a breach of contract and served an eviction notice the day before for unpaid rent, according to court documents. The club rented the building from B&C.

Club Kryptonite, located at 2925 Hollywood Dr. in Myrtle Beach, had until Nov. 17 to vacate the building or respond to the notice, and the decision was made to vacate, said co-owner Andrew Manios.

The decrease in sales this year, combined with the increase in rent and additional insurance policies the business had to take on, made it hard to pay the bills, Manios said.

The club opened in April of 2002 and had its last night of operation on Halloween.

I believe that this is the final radio ad and that this is the final promotion:

More pictures and audio after the jump..

Playboy Pajama Party Radio Ad

Pimp & Ho Party Radio Ad

UPDATE 16 Jan 2010: Commenter Tom notes that this was originally The All Star Cafe which explains the cylindrical stadium-ish shape of the building. I've added that to the post title.

UPDATE 1 Oct 2010: According to The Sun News, the Legends tribute show will be moving from its current location in Surfside Beach to the former Kryptonite location to open on 11 March 2011.

Also, the former owners of Kryptonite will be opening a Mediterranean restaurant in the old Bullwinkle's Family Food 'N Fun building at 1002 29th Avenue North. The new place will also be called Kryponite but will not be a night club: "The new business will have a banquet facility and offer pizza and Greek lunch and dinner."

UPDATE 10 May 2012 -- OK, a few updates. First, the restaurant mentioned above turned out not to be called Kryptonite. Instead it is called Mykonos. (I've been once, and thought it pretty average, and I was kind of disappointed I couldn't get spanikopita which is my go-to dish in Greek places). Second, The Kryptonite name is being used as a secondary brand at The Afterdeck nightclub (which is attached to Thee Doll House strip club). Third, the new Legends show is now open in the old Kryptonite location. (The original one in Surfside Beach is still there as well-- if I recall correctly there was some hoo-ha over who owned the "Legends" name when some of the owners decided to stay at the original location so it may have a different name.).

Further UPDATE 10 May 2012: Well, I see in a Sun News article today that the former Legends theater in Surfside Beach only lasted a few months as Celebration Music Theatre and has now been leased by a church to hold services on Sunday and run as a theater during the week..

UPDATE 1 November 2019: Here's a Sun News story with memories of Club Kryptonite.