Former Nightclub That Hosted Early ECW Events In Philadelphia To Be Torn Down

The building that is most synonymous with Extreme Championship Wrestling is the former bingo hall at the corner of Swanson and Ritner in South Philly which is now known as the 2300 Arena and still hosts pro wrestling today. However, while the promotion was still operating under the Eastern Championship Wrestling branding in the early 1990s, it inhabited another venue in West Philadelphia called The Chestnut Cabaret. But as "The City of Brotherly Love" continues to evolve, the nightclub at 38th and Ludlow has become the latest casualty of change as it is scheduled for demolition.

Primarily known for live music, The Chestnut Cabaret (also known as Pegasus Showcase and The Blockley) hosted a number of iconic musicians from 1978 to 2013 such as Nirvana, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jay-Z, DMX, Talib Kweli, and Ghostface Killah. During ECW's six-month residence in University City, a number of legendary names in professional wrestling passed through those doors as well. While speaking to PWInsider about the venue, ECW founder Tod Gordon recounted the time when "Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka teamed up with Ivan Koloff to pull a hilarious rib on one of the young workers." The likes of The Sandman, J.T. Smith, and Terry Taylor also wrestled there. In 1992, WWE Hall of Famer Don Muraco lost and regained the ECW Championship in the same hallowed halls where Ryan Cabrera (husband of WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss) serenaded Drexel and UPenn students years later.

Now, after permanently closing its doors due to the loss of its liquor license in 2013, the building on the block that once included a Chili's, Atlantis Gentleman's Club, and student favorite restaurants Abner's and Koreana's will become a 13-story biotechnology hub with retail space on the ground level and commercial opportunities above.