The fabled New York nightclub Area opened its doors in September 1983 and virtually overnight became the nexus of one of the most vibrant downtown art and club scenes in New York. Despite its short-lived history (it closed in 1987), Area was the place where A-listers from disparate worlds went to see and be seen.

Area was the brainchild of four guys from California, among them author Eric Goode, whose vision was to create an art project on a monumental scale: Every six weeks, they gutted the enormous space at 157 Hudson and transformed it with a different art theme. Their wildly creative invitations to the opening night of each new installation became the hottest tickets in town, coveted by writers and photographers who together chronicled the club’s legendary scene. Drawing from an incredibly rich archive of material, Eric and Jennifer Goode tell the behind-the-scenes story of the club and its people, creating an illustrated memoir of an exciting time and place in the annals of New York nightlife.

The unique binding of this book required that each book be bound by hand. The hinge connecting the front cover of the book to the spine is unusual, and is the best way to accommodate the unusually thick front and back boards. It may seem more loose and detached than other books, but that is intentional. This package is somewhat fragile and should be handled with care. As a result of this handiwork, there may be variations in appearance, which we believe adds to its appeal.