Tao’s Noah Tepperberg on Reinvention, Eyeing New Markets

Noah Tepperberg has outlasted plenty of club kings who burned bright and flamed out.

Two decades after opening Marquee on a stretch of West 27th Street, the Tao Group co-CEO is still filling rooms while his competitors’ venues shuttered. His secret, he told The Real Deal’s Amir Korangy in our latest Coffee Talk, is part real estate, part brand discipline and part relentless reinvestment.

When Marquee debuted in 2003, the area had few competitors beyond Bungalow 8, according to Tepperberg. Within three years, a dozen-plus clubs sprouted up — and then disappeared. Today, Marquee is the only one still standing.

Tepperberg credits design choices that made spaces feel timeless, along with constant capital spending on maintenance and tech upgrades.

“We build really good product,” he said. “We’re always putting in new equipment, new LED, new sound.”

Partnerships with landlords, hotel groups and casino operators are another piece of the formula.

“You’re only as good as your worst partner,” Tepperberg said, adding that local players are crucial when expanding into international markets like Marrakesh or Mexico City.

The Tao Group favors convention markets: Vegas, Chicago, London, potentially Orlando or Tampa.

Miami, he said, is close to tapped out, with a flood of high-end openings diluting demand. But Tao still plans to plant flags there, banking on its loyal clientele.

He also acknowledged price creep in Miami, where menus often run pricier than in New York despite cheaper labor and rent. Tao’s longevity, he argued, comes from resisting gouges and delivering consistent value.

At 50, Tepperberg insists he still keeps pace with trends by logging time inside his venues and leaning on younger staffers to read the culture. And while he admires peers like Danny Meyer and Jean-Georges, he keeps one eye on the up-and-comers shaping the next chapter of New York’s nightlife.

Check out more above from our exclusive interview with Noah Tepperberg.