24-06-2025
The Legendary Penrod's Beach Club Is Popping Up In Miami This July 4th At Nikki Beach
Nikki Beach will transform into Penrod's Beach Club this July 4th
While Nikki Beach Miami Beach is always one of the best spots to hunker down and enjoy July of 4th festivities, this year they are upping the ante by hosting a legendary celebration in honor of its founder, the late Jack Penrod, who passed away earlier this year.
In his honor, Nikki Beach is bringing back Penrod's Beach Club. For one day only, the ultimate 80s & 90s playground that once defined the spirit of this iconic location will return, promising to take Nikki Beach guests on a journey through time back to where it all began.
'While Nikki Beach has grown into a global luxury lifestyle brand, its heart is still rooted in the spirit of Penrod's,' says Lucia Penrod, co-found, owner, and chief executive officer of Nikki Beach Hospitality. 'I used to tell my husband [Jack]Jack Penrod
The original Penrod's Beach Club (which was later transformed into the Nikki Beach we now know and love) was all about the emphasis toward music, good food, and spending time at the beach with friends — that energy is the thread that connects it all according to Penrod herself.
'Penrod's Beach Club was always about creating a carefree, joyful space where people could feel free, dance barefoot in the sand, and make memories,' says Penrod. 'That same ethos lives on in every Nikki Beach location around the world.'
Miami Beach was known as the American Riviera in the 1950s and 1960s, attracting celebrities and upscale clientele to its beaches and world class resorts. By the 1980s, it was in desperate need of revitalization as it became ridden with crime and drugs. At this time, banks didn't want to lend money for investments, plus tourists and residents felt unsafe. For lack of better words, this was the Scarface-era of Miami Beach.
Due to Jack's success helping other cities thrive with business, the city of Miami Beach encouraged him to help them. Alongside his future wife and business partner, Lucia, Jack led the charge to revitalize the area with a vision of hospitality that blended fun, food, and unforgettable experiences. Jack was the first businessman that invested $4 million dollars to build Penrod's Beach Club on Miami Beach in 1989. His vision, commitment and delivery gave way for more investors to join him.
Penrod's Beach Club in its heyday
'When Penrod's opened, it was electric,' says Penrod. 'You'd see everyone from models and artists to locals and tourists dancing side by side with their toes in the sand. Professional and amateur beach volleyball competitions, concerts on the beach, food festivals, superbowl parties — it all happened here.'
By opening Penrod's, Jack helped turn the city around. 'Penrod's brought energy and attention to Miami Beach,' says Penrod. 'It showed what was possible. After that, investors and major brands started to take notice. It became a cultural magnet and set the stage for the city's revival. It truly was a movement and Jack was the spark behind it all.'
This 4th of July celebration plans to bring those vibes back in a big way. Expect a full retro transformation of Nikki Beach Miami Beach, echoing the look and feel of the original beach club. Nikki Beach Miami Beach's resident DJs will spin the best tracks from every era that Penrod's lived through, alongside live musicians and dancers bringing the energy back to the sand. Enjoy a special throwback menu featuring classic dishes once served during the club's golden days like conch fritters, burgers, smoked fish dip, and key lime pie.
For Lucia, this event is deeply personal, and she's excited to bring back the sense of nostalgia and connection to Miami Beach that Penrod's embodied. 'We'll have dishes from the original menu, beach volleyball, retro music from the 80s and 90s, and we're inviting guests to bring back their original memorabilia,' says Penrod. 'There's something very special about recreating those iconic moments and sharing them both with guests who knew and loved Penrod's and a new generation.'
More than anything, this celebration is a tribute to her husband Jack. She says this popup is a way to honor the incredible legacy he left behind, not just as a visionary in the hospitality world, but as someone who helped shape the spirit of South Beach.
'Penrod's was more than a beach club, it was a cultural touchstone, and Jack was at the heart of it,' she says. 'Seeing it come to life again, in the place where it all began, is our way of saying thank you to him and recognizing everything he gave to this city we all love.'
Reservations are recommended for this epic beach party
'I'll never forget the early days,' says Penrod as we reminisced on what made Penrod's Beach Club such a special place. 'Some moments feel almost surreal looking back,' she continued. 'MTV Spring Break taking over the beach, Bon Jovi Performing live in the sand, the Super Bowl parties that drew thousands. It was a time when Miami Beach was transforming, and Penrod's was right at the center of that cultural shift.'
After 25 years in business on the beach, Miami-Dade County and Miami Beach named April 17, 2012, 'Jack Penrod Day' to honor his contributions to the community and this 4th of July celebration aims to show him another day of love and appreciation.
This epic celebration will take place on Friday, July 4th, from noon to 9 p.m. at Nikki Beach Miami Beach (1 Ocean Drive). Reservations are now open via Resy.
