Veruka was a nightclub inManhattan, owned by Noel Ashman. The club operated between January 1997 and June 2004, and was known for its strict door policy and celebrity patrons.
The name Veruka was derived from Veruca Salt, the character of the storyCharlie and the Chocolate Factory.[1] Veruka[2] was located on Broome Street at Sixth Avenue. It had a multi-level lounge and was one of New York's first clubs to havebottle service. In 2001, designerTodd Oldham redesigned the club. Hip-hop songwriterJohn Forté (of theFugees) was among the club's celebrityDJs.[3]
Celebrity regulars includedSean Penn,Ben Affleck,Leonardo DiCaprio,Mark Wahlberg,Cuba Gooding Jr.,Nicolas Cage,Debbie Harry,Derek Jeter,Denis Leary,John Waters,Martin Sheen,[2] andSarah Jessica Parker,[4] and was a popular location for theNew York Yankees.[5]
Owner Noel Ashman opened a new club, The Leonora, in Chelsea in August 2014.[6] Ashman described The Leonora as a modernized version of Veruka.
40°43′27″N74°00′17″W / 40.7241°N 74.0046°W /40.7241; -74.0046
