Nightclub owner keen to rebuild ‘happy spot’ after suspicious blaze

The owner of a Whyte Avenue nightclub is hoping to rebuild after his building was damaged by a suspicious fire Monday morning.

Alex Kamaleddine, owner of Club 82 on Whyte Avenue, said Wednesday that the rear garage area of the nightclub was damaged by a fire early May 28.

The full extent of the damage is not known, and the owner has not been given permission to re-enter the building.

Neighbouring businesses Queen Donair and The Forge on Whyte may have sustained smoke damage. No one was in either of the buildings during the fire, which was under control after 7 a.m. Monday.

Fire spokeswoman Suzzette Mellado said Monday that crews were called to the scene at 5:05 a.m. after reports of smoke coming from the building in the 10500 block of 82 Avenue. She added that most of the damage happened to Club 82.

Edmonton police are now investigating the fire, which was deemed suspicious.

On Monday, police spokeswoman Cheryl Voordenhout said the police bomb unit safely removed two “improvised incendiary devices” from an alley east of the fire site.

Club 82 has been open since October 2016. It receives about 1,000 patrons per week, mostly university students or teenagers.

Kamaleddine said the nightclub is a “happy spot” for the Whyte Avenue crowd.

As far as security measures go, he has staff walk young women out at very late hours — he also recently upgraded the building’s

It was a good place and I really enjoy having it. It’s sad (what happened).

security cameras in case of vandalism.

Vandalism and car break-ins are frequent in the area, Kamaleddine said, and bottles are often found in the alley behind the building.

But the damages from late-night vandals were “never like this.”

He added that he has insurance, and that he wants to rebuild.

“It was a good place and I really enjoy having it,” he said. “It’s sad, (what happened).”