Backroom Social Club – and its late-night concerts that drew neighborhood complaints – ceased operations in July. 

The venue, located at 1004 SE 5th St., was open for just six months. It was Bentonville’s only nightclub.

Its sister business, Starfront Studios, which rents studio space to local artists, continues to operate in the same building.

From its beginning, Backroom stood out as a grassroots effort that supported experimental and indie art across various mediums. In particular, it was a home for electronic music and DJs.

Sam Solano, who opened the venue alongside his wife Karen Leibowitz, said their unique approach started the first time they hired a DJ for an event. 

The DJ asked Solano what he wanted them to play. His answer? “Whatever you want.”

“They’re used to playing in Fayetteville, playing like Taylor Swift or something like that. And like, they finally got to play exactly what they wanted,” Solano said.

While it was known for its concerts, the venue was more than just a nightclub. The couple also organized vendor markets in support of small businesses. Many events were family-friendly or had all-ages hours.

“It’s good to move on to try new things and to push the boundaries. And this whole building was a boundary-pushing moment for us,” Solano said. “There’s always new boundaries to push.”

Trouble with Neighbors

The building that housed Backroom is bordered by J Street on one side and commercial buildings on two other sides. However, there are residences located directly across SE 5th Street.

While Backroom was open, the Bentonville Police Department responded to noise complaints 30 times, according to records from the department.

Backroom’s supporters say it was a small number of neighbors making the complaints. 

Incident reports seem to confirm this: 24 of the reports were made by the same household. A woman at the address declined to comment for this article. 

The Bentonville Bulletin spoke with other neighbors who lived in the vicinity who weren’t as bothered by the noise. 

A man who lives in a townhome directly across the street, who didn’t want to share his name, said the noise wasn’t much of a problem for him. 

“It’s a younger demographic. It should be accepted,” he said. “I bought a pair of earplugs and got used to it.”

Another neighbor, Rob Hairston, said the noise from Backroom didn’t bother him much, but questioned why it would be located close to residences.

“I wasn’t real fond of it. But I didn’t complain about it,” Hairston said. “Why would they zone a music venue in a residential neighborhood? Didn’t make any sense to me.”

In the first months of operations, Backroom played music until 3 a.m. some nights. In April, the building’s landlord, Walton-owned Blue Crane, limited music to 12 a.m. on weeknights and 1 a.m. on weekends, according to Solano.

Solano said Blue Crane “more or less collaborated” with his team to find a solution for neighbors and the venue. He doesn’t blame Blue Crane — he said he’d probably do the same thing if the roles were reversed.

“I think if I was a landlord, I would do the same thing. I would try to work with the people knocking on my door,” Solano said. “I would have tried to propose things that work for everybody. I think we would have done the exact same thing.” 

Blue Crane declined to comment for this article.

Backroom was “fiscally solvent” until the new limitations, but the earlier hours rendered the venue’s business plan no longer viable, Solano said. 

Solano suggested that the nightclub may have been too much, too soon for Bentonville’s nightlife scene.

“Every town in America has gone through something like this. It’s not a Bentonville thing, it could be in Wichita, Kansas, the same thing is happening,” Solano said. “I think we’re about 10 years ahead on this space.”

One Last Night

Backroom held “Exit Fest” on July 13 as a going away party.

Musicians played across three stages in an “all-out bash” featuring dozens of performers, fire-breathers, and vendors, with the party stretching into the early morning hours.

The Bentonville Bulletin spoke with a few patrons on the patio during closing festivities.

Dodge Mendenhall, a Fayetteville DJ, said he appreciated Backroom’s emphasis on local acts. “In all of Northwest Arkansas, these guys really put on the best show for local talents.”

“They’ve always taken good care of me. I always come back any time they ask me,” he added.

Seth Reeves viewed Backroom as a much-needed addition to the local nightlife scene.

“I’ve lived in metropolitan areas much bigger than this, and it’s one of these things that I miss terribly — the night scene,” he said. “In comparison, Bentonville feels like Naples, Florida, which is a retirement community.”

Luke Spivey, a local nonprofit professional, was optimistic about the future of Bentonville’s cultural scene despite Backroom’s closure.

“All the goodness that this place had is in the soil now. It’s fertilizer for more culture,” he said.