Four brothers who come from humble beginnings just outside of Cambridge changed the nightlife scene from Toronto to New York City, running some of the most successful nightclubs in the world.
Growing up on a farm in the '60s with little to their name, the Ballinger brothers – Lon, Steve, Peter and Douglas – always had to work hard for what they had, there were no handouts or easy roads.
The brothers all had a common dream, to move to the big city and make people dance; so they moved to Cambridge in 1979 and opened the popular club Ballingers.
"This is where it really all began for us and I think we owe so much to Cambridge and the people there who taught us how to run a business properly," said Lon Ballinger.
In Ballinger's new Book, Party Boys, he details his entire experience from growing up outside of Cambridge to bumping shoulders with Prince at his New York club, Webster Hall.
"I started writing this for my grandkids, but it turned into something more than that," he said. "It's crazy to think, but over 40 years we made 40 million people dance. It's something that I had to share."
The brothers' first club was located at 614 Coronation Blvd. in what was previously The Highlands; a club known in the 1950s for large orchestra performances, high school graduations and corporate events.
In 2024, 614 Coronation Blvd. is now full of medical offices with virtually no trace of the music history that took place there.
When the Ballingers took over in 1979, they transformed the venue into a rock haven where they could let their creativity and youthful spirit sore the club to new heights.
This newfound success didn't come without its trials and tribulations as they dealt with Hell's Angels, bar fights and rowdy bands looking to party.
"This was a turning point for us, because we had a group of Angels come in and just beat the crap out of us," said Ballinger. "I had to call the police for them to come and help us and this is where I learned one of the most valuable lessons."
Ballinger noted the cop started to get upset with the brothers, because they were the ones who let the bikers in and served them alcohol, they let them party and now they wanted the police to clean up the mess.
"He looked me dead in the eye and said, 'You better figure out how to run security or we'll come in and do it for you and I can promise you, you won't like it,'" he said.
"I was like whoa, we gotta get this in order and make sure that this never happens again."
This lesson taught Ballinger how to understand and work with police, his customers and even criminal organizations; this was something they would take to the next level.
After five years of learning, making mistakes and growing, the brothers sold the Cambridge club for $1.5 million and headed to Toronto for their next venture.
"Our time in Cambridge is what set us up and gave us the knowledge and confidence to feel like we could take on the world, so we went to Toronto which at the time didn't really have a good nightlife," said Ballinger.
The brothers rented out the recently renovated Holiday Tavern on Bathurst Street starting in 1986, this is where the group of siblings would rise to the top of the club industry, cementing themselves in the lore of the Toronto music industry.
The Big Bop was opened in July 1986 and quickly set itself apart from the few other larger clubs in the city. The brothers' creativity and unique approach to the club scene once again worked in their favour, just as it did in Cambridge.
The Big Bop was one of the first clubs to offer multiple floors of entertainment with lasers, vibrant colours and a mix of music genres from 1960s and '70s rock to dance music.
"It was very '80s," said Ballinger. "But you know there was something for everyone and we really came into our own at the Bop."
The brothers then looked to see what was next, and being the business entrepreneurs they were, headed to New York City in 1992.
When Ballinger arrived in the Big Apple, he knew he needed to change some of his ways if he was going to continue to be successful and able to run his companies.
He got sober and stopped drinking, which was immensely difficult working in some of the most booze-filled and drug-riddled clubs in North America.
"New York City is everything you could ever imagine. It's got every issue that you could ever think of going on, but at the same time it's a magical place," said Ballinger. "When I got sober I was able to take a step back and observe what was going on, it really saved me."
Again, the Ballinger brothers we able to find success with Webster Hall being proclaimed, 'the best party on Earth.'
The 3,000-person venue gave rise to underground hip-hop in the 1990s as well as introducing some of the greatest electronic dance music artists to the world.
The venue itself is one of the most storied landmarks in NYC history with Al Capone being part owner around the turn of the century, artists like Frank Sinatra and Muddy Waters using the space as a recording studio and being a launching pad for the women's suffrage movement.
Artists like Prince, Ed Sheeran, Metallica, Green Day, Paul Simon and John Mayer are just a few that have graced the stage at New York City's premier venue.
In his book, Ballinger describes his approach to treating these stars with respect while also providing his patrons with the best show possible.
"This place has always been somewhere where everyone was accepted. It didn't matter what you looked like, what your sexual preference was, everyone was welcomed and celebrated," said Ballinger. "This is something that we brought with us from Canada, our politeness and just seeing everyone for who they were."
Just like at the other clubs by Ballinger, hoards of people would line up to get in, stretching around city blocks, hundreds of people waiting in the rain, it didn't matter, because Webster Hall was the place to be.
As much as 'Party Boys' is a book about the rise of the Ballinger brothers it is also a how-to on creating a business, being a present father and leaving behind a legacy that is more than music or who played on the biggest stage.
"Studio 54 lasted 30 months, I lasted 30 years so longevity is about everything, paying the bills properly, treating people properly, talking with the police properly. It's about building your sound system and treating talent with respect and dignity and making sure that it wasn't all about you and was all about them."
After 30 years of rocking the stage in the biggest city in the world, the brothers decided to sell Webster Hall in 2017 to Ali Baba creator Joe Tsai where it still operates as a music venue.
Ballinger now owns and operates 'The Stewart House', a hotel along the Hudson River in Athens, New York.
"As much as America is where I live, Canada and Cambridge is my home. It will forever be in my heart," said Ballinger. "I hope that those who live in Cambridge and went to our club remember it with fond memories just like we do."
To find out more about Party Boys visit their website.
