Private club fails after two months

Chateau Prive's draw didn't match its hype.

By SHARON GINN
Published July 25, 2007

TAMPA - Philip Glassman spared no expense to transform a venerable South Tampa restaurant into an exclusive private club: custom furniture, artfully faux-finished walls, specially commissioned abstract paintings.

All told, he spent $1.7-million creating Chateau Prive at St. Bart's Island House, according to an ad agency that represented the club.

Then, on July 13 - just two months after a huge launch party - Chateau Prive abruptly shut its doors, leaving behind clients who paid at least $5,000 for memberships and about 25 employees waiting for three to four weeks of pay, according to the former sales director. And at least one charity that was supposed to get a portion of the membership fees has yet to receive a dime.

Glassman, now 36, arrived in Tampa in 2006 and talked up a private membership concept that targeted the wealthy, fairly young and hip demographic. Amenities would include a private locker, a $2,000 food and beverage credit and a private entrance.

He bought the St. Bart's Island House business from prominent restaurateur Gordon Davis in January 2006. Davis retained ownership of the property.

Interest remained low. After it launched in May, the club's ad agency touted that some membership proceeds would go to the Joshua House center for abused children in Lutz.

But Joshua House never got any donations, a spokeswoman said Monday.

In time, the club had about 50 members, some of them corporate, former membership director Nichole Sylvester said in an e-mailed response to the Times.

The club's Web site said the initial membership fee was $5,000 for individuals and $15,000 for corporations. The club's former sales director, Kathy Reed, said Glassman did not collect fees for most of the memberships.

"They were given or traded for service," she said. "My guess is there were 12 people that paid."

Glassman initially agreed to talk to the Times but later didn't return calls.

Information from researcher John Martin, staff writer Alexandra Zayas and Times files was used in this report.

[Last modified July 25, 2007, 01:42:37]