The Oak Beach Inn, commonly referred to by the abbreviation OBI, was a Long Island nightclub located in Oak Beach, on Jones Beach Island near Captree State Park in the Town of Babylon, Suffolk County, New York.
The Oak Beach Inn, commonly referred to by the abbreviation OBI, was a Long Island nightclub located in Oak Beach, on Jones Beach Island near Captree State Park in the Town of Babylon, Suffolk County, New York.
In 1969, Robert Matherson bought what was then a waterfront barrier island restaurant and converted it into an enormously popular (and controversial) nightclub. The Oak Beach Inn, located in Oak Beach on Jones Beach Island, was the original, and later just referred to as The OBI. He later opened three more OBI nightclubs and named them according to their geographic location. The OBI North was in Smithtown, New York, the OBI East near the Shinnecock Canal en route to The Hamptons, and the OBI West locations in Island Park, New York (which had two locations: first at 3999 Long Beach Road, and later, briefly, at 50 Broadway). All four clubs were located on Long Island and were wildly successful for many years, bringing people in from all over Long Island, New York City, Westchester, southern Connecticut and New Jersey and hosting acts such as Twisted Sister and The Good Rats. [1] [ self-published source ]
In 1979, Matherson sued the town to lease him more land for additional parking, which the town granted. However two years later, new officials disagreed, which caused Matherson to sue again, and when the court favored with Matherson, the town granted him $3 million and the nine acres. [2] In 1993, an unhappy Matherson started a "Move Out of New York Before It's Too Late" campaign complete with a hearse, banners and TV ads. [3] An article in 1993 in The New York Times provided details about his campaign, including information that the New York State Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control raided the club one year earlier in 1992. [4] One of the OBI West locations burned down after only a couple of years of packing in thousands on the weekends. Arson involving organized crime figures referred to in the movie Goodfellas was alleged but never substantiated.
Over the years, the OBI was involved in many disputes with the local community over issues such as noise, parking and traffic. [5] Finally, in 1999, Matherson sold the property to developer Ross Cassata, who planned to build condominiums. Matherson then moved to Key West, Florida to open a new club of the same name. [6] When it closed, the inn's two-ton statues of whales and dolphins, which were commonly touched by clubgoers, were moved to Danfords on the Sound in Long Island. [7]
However, Cassata then sold the nine acres to Suffolk County for $7.95 million and the original property was torn down in 2003 and was replaced with a town-operated park, with later added plans of adding a bed and breakfast, upscale restaurant, boardwalk, water-sport area and boat ramp. [3] The park now hosts activities, such as car racing, and it too has caused controversy. [8] At the time of demolition, the Suffolk County Legislator commented that the park agreement avoided "an enormous tax increase in Babylon, which would have had to pay a court judgment of as much as $20 million or watch its coastline be forever scarred by high-rise development" and the money came from the county's greenway program. [2]
The original OBI was at 1 Oak Beach Road. The building was sold in 1999, torn down in 2003, land turned into a park with a small beach simply called Oak Beach.
The OBI East was at 239 E Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays. The property underwent extensive renovations between 2018 and 2022 and was reopened as the Canoe Place Inn and Cottages with 20 rooms, 5 cottages, restaurant, bar and a 350 banquet room. [9] [10]
The OBI North was at State Road 25A, near Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown. The building burned down in 1980, and the land is now[ when? ] part of Willow Ridge at Smithtown HOA.
The OBI West was at 3999 Long Beach Road, Island Park. The building was torn down between 1994 and 2004, the land is now[ when? ] a parking lot for school buses. It briefly was located at 50 Broadway (sometimes listed as 50 Austin Blvd.), Island Park as one of a series of famous nightclubs such as the Shell House, The Action House, The Rock Pile, and Speaks.
Robert Matherson later opened Oak Beach Inn at 227 Duval Street, Key West, Florida. Robert Matherson died in 2007.[ citation needed ]
Robert "Rosebud" Butt is credited with inventing the Long Island Iced Tea, while working as a bartender at the original OBI in the 1970s.
In 2010, the Babylon-based rock band Two Cent Sam released the "OBI Song" and a DIY video celebrating the Oak Beach Inn's history and impact on Long Islanders and the void in Long Island night life after the OBI's destruction. [11]
Suffolk County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York, constituting the eastern two-thirds of Long Island. It is bordered to its west by Nassau County, to its east by Gardiners Bay and the open Atlantic Ocean, to its north by Long Island Sound, and to its south by the Atlantic Ocean.
Babylon is a village within the Town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York. The population was 12,188 at the 2020 census. It is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) from New York City at the Queens border and approximately 33 miles (53 km) from Manhattan.
The Town of Babylon is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. Its population was 218,223 as of the 2020 census. Parts of Jones Beach Island, Captree Island and Fire Island are in the southernmost part of the town. It borders Nassau County to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. At its westernmost point, it is about 20 miles (32 km) from New York City at the Queens border, and about 30 miles (48 km) from Manhattan. The village of Babylon is also within the town.
Islip is a town in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the South Shore of Long Island. The population was 335,543 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous city or town in the New York metropolitan area.
Jones Beach Island is one of the outer barrier islands off the southern coast of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York.
The South Shore of Long Island, in the U.S. state of New York, is the area along Long Island's Atlantic Ocean shoreline.
New York's 1st congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in eastern Long Island. It includes the eastern two-thirds of Suffolk County, including the northern portion of Brookhaven, as well as the entirety of the towns of Huntington, Smithtown, Riverhead, Southold, Southampton, East Hampton, and Shelter Island. The district encompasses extremely wealthy enclaves such as the Hamptons, middle class suburban towns such as Selden, Centereach, and Lake Grove, working-class towns such as Riverhead and rural farming communities such as Mattituck and Jamesport on the North Fork. The district currently is represented by Republican Nick LaLota.
New York's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives along the South Shore of Long Island, New York. It includes southwestern Suffolk County and a small portion of southeastern Nassau County. The district is currently represented by Republican Andrew Garbarino.
The Outer Barrier, also known as the Long Island and New York City barrier islands, refers to the string of barrier islands that divide the lagoons south of Long Island, New York from the Atlantic Ocean. These islands include Long Beach Barrier Island, Barnum Island, Jones Beach Island, Fire Island and Westhampton Island. The outer barrier extends 75 miles (121 km) along the South Shore of Long Island, from the Rockaway Peninsula in New York City to the east end of Shinnecock Bay in Suffolk County.
Oak Beach is a small community and census-designated place located near the eastern end of Jones Beach Island, a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great South Bay of Long Island. The community is part of the village of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The eastern part, the Oak Island Beach Association, is gated, whereas the western part is not. The Oak Beach CDP was first listed prior to the 2020 census. Prior to that the community was part of the Oak Beach–Captree census-designated place.
Gilgo State Park is a 1,223-acre (4.95 km2) undeveloped state park in Gilgo, Suffolk County, New York. The park is located on Jones Beach Island, a barrier island off the southern shore of Long Island.
Captree is a census-designated place (CDP) in the towns of Islip and Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It occupies Captree Island in Great South Bay, as well as the east end of Jones Beach Island to the south, comprising Captree State Park. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census. Prior to that it was part of the Oak Beach–Captree CDP.
Years later in the 2000s, the venue operated as a popular nightclub with celebrity appearances and performances by Billy Joel, Led Zeppelin, Jon Bon Jovi, Ramones, Starship, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and P. Diddy.