Fountain Haus to Pour New Hues in Westport Mix

By Kevin Collison

The owners of Fountain Haus, the latest entry in the city’s LGBTQ club scene, believe their new venue opening in late January will be a well-received addition to the Westport party scene.

“The owners in the Westport community are very welcoming and would like to see a shift in demographics and have other people visit this place,” said David Brinkerhoff, Fountain Haus co-owner.

“Variety is the spice of life and there should be something for everyone in this entertainment district,” added his partner, Ryan Overberg.

There will be definitely be something for everyone in the LGBTQ community and friends at the multi-level space formerly occupied by HopCat at the prominent corner of Broadway and Westport Road.

Fountain Haus Partners Ryan Overberg (left) and David Brinkerhoff check out what will be the Pool Deck space overlooking Wesport.

From the reservation-only cellar club called The Siren Speakeasy, to the main floor Pump Room, The Cube on the mezzanine level and finally the rooftop Pool Deck, Brinkerhoff, Overberg and their other partner, Dan Meiners, are promising a seamless party vibe.

“Programming and events are important, and combining the two, this is our wheelhouse,” said Overberg, who has 20 years experience in the New York hospitality industry, his last post as entertainment director at Therapy in Hell’s Kitchen.

“I’m taking my experience and enhancing what’s already here and giving people an opportunity to shine,” he said.

“We want to do programming to compliment the entire experience, a Happy Hour morphing into a drag show and then dancing.”

The Pump Room on the main floor will function as a restaurant and event space. (Rendering by Kali Buchanan)

The partners describe former HopCat building, which opened five years ago, as being ideal for their vision. The 13,000 square-foot space can accommodate up to 500 people.

Plans call for the first floor Pump Room to be a restaurant space that could seat 200, but  capable of shifting into whatever entertainment and event space is required. Live music and DJs will be sprinkled throughout the multiple venues.

The menu is still a work in progress and is described generally as “lighter, shareable options.”

Fountain Haus will have exceptional flexibility and technical capabilities for the production team to create unique small or large-scale events for charities, receptions, or parties, according to a press release.

The multi-level Fountain Haus space encompasses 13,000 square feet.

“A lot of nonprofits want a place for fundraisers, including gay and lesbian nonprofits,” Brinkerhoff said. “We have the capacity for it.”

The partners will be seeking a 3 a.m. liquor license and plan to be open seven days a week.

They also plan to hire their own security and have the main entrance to the club off Broadway, a move that will allow customers to arrive without going through the screening required to enter the core of Westport on weekends.

The Fountain Haus schedule calls for the The Pump Room, the main lounge and dining area, and The Cube dance club to open in late January.

The rooftop Pool Deck will open in spring in time for St. Patrick’s Day, according to a release.

The official grand opening of all the spaces will happen in April, tied to the celebration of Fountain Day with reservations required for the Siren Speakeasy.

Fountain Haus is currently accepting applications for bartenders, servers, talent, and other staff. Applications can be emailed here.