Profile: Cordell Lochin
[Photo: The New York Observer]
Name: Cordell Lochin
Venues: The Box, La Esquina
Closest Equivalent: Armin Armiri (5 years ago) of Bungalow 8 and Socialista
Background: Son of Trinidadian immigrants, grew up on the Upper West Side and started going to downtown clubs as a teen before becoming the doorman at club Twilo and then the special-events director at Club Life.
Claim to Fame: Aside from having a supposed Rolodex of 1500 jet-setting high-rollers, we have heard that Cordell has tried to take credit for designing The Box multiple times in conversations and in print via the New York Times:
“…designed by Cordell Lochin in low-life archaeological style”
The Times has since printed the following retraction:
“An article last Sunday about a kickoff for Fashion Week at the Box…misidentified the club’s designer. It was Hecho Inc. — not Cordell Lochin”
Dirty Little Secret: Frienemies say that due to extra-curricular activities, Cordell can’t get it up and subsequently needs Viagra in the truckloads.
Lovers: Simon Hammerstein (who has said The Box would not be “The Box” without Cordell), Richard Kimmel, Serge Becker. And, who’s in his blackberry? According to him: “Adrien Brody, Amanda Lepore, Amy Sacco, Ashley Olsen, Benny Medina, Chelsea …”
Haters: Someone’s got it out bigtime for Cordell and his partners!
What makes him different: “People is people to him,” said celebrity photographer Marc Baptiste, “It doesn’t matter if it’s Paris Hilton or Gisele Bündchen or the guy walking down the sidewalk—if he has a table, he’ll sit you down. He’ll be like, ‘Um, Gisele, I know you’ve been waiting in line, but my man got to eat. Let me hook you up in a few minutes.’” -Taken from the Observer.
Our own inbox confirms this: “He’s also has been known to kick high rollers and celebs out of their VIP seats at The Box for his loser friends. Maybe that’s why New York celebs have been avoiding the place like the plague???” (Taken from an annonymous emailer as a criticism of Cordell).
Our assessment: If true, Cordell loses points for being a drug addict as well as a blackberry addict. He loses more points for calling his over 1,500 blackberry contacts “choice people”. However, he gains points for putting in his dues at Life and being unimpressed when it comes to “famous people”. If what we’ve been hearing is true, instead of seeing this as a fault (like our insider emailer does), we think it is a good thing. Having Owen Wilson and Mary Kate Olsen at your establishment is not what should make you shine, and giving THEM preferential treatment for doing nothing more or less special than the average New York clubgoing trendster is just a sell-out. Also, it’s hard to criticize someone for giving their close friends unique treatment because well, being in the same position, we would do the same. He’s had to put in YEARS of clubbing to get there and frankly, that’s not something we would never want to do. Until we meet the guy on our own, our position will have to remain a neutral one.
(note: We also can’t be sure that Cordell actually said he was the designer of the Box. This wouldn’t be the first time that the Times has misinterpreted something.)
Email Post
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Maybe not Cordell, but Serge certainly has taken props for designing The Box. The guys who designed are called Hecho. They are also working on that new hot spot in the WV called Bobo.
You got to respect this man, he has accomplished a lot runs in elite circles and is about as down to earth as you get.
stop talking shit, and spreading rumors and respect the man.
And if you see the harem of girls he leaves in his wake you know impotence is not his problem. snitches are.
LESter,
I’m starting to think that you want to be part of the harem left in the wake.
However, people are snapping out of the disillusionment they’ve been in to what the scene he has helped create is all about. In fact, the recent publicity has made his places popular again. Anytime anything is new to market, whether it be John Varvatos-branded hipster Chuck Taylor’s in dogshit brown or a new afterhours hotspot, it has a certain shelf life before people start to think, “Why and how did I get here…”
I don’t think anyone of us is going to avoid a La Esquina taco from this point on, but let’s quit the Studio 54 shit already. There are a lot of nice people who depend on their jobs at La Esquina. Cordell didn’t open the establishment, but, unfortunately, has the power to get it closed by the police and put these people out of work.
i think thats it petty that people has the need to talk shit about a guy that they wished would be their friend!!
Cordell is a good guy and people make some wrong decisions and pay for them but lets face it we all make mistakes!!!