Entry No. 15 — the Columbus file — filed under: speakeasy
Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce
Hidden behind the swinging kitchen doors and inside the walk-in refrigerator of a New York-style pizzeria lies a secret, multi-level speakeasy and nightclub. It features bold cocktails, a live DJ, and a world-famous burlesque show backed by a swingin' three-piece jazz band.
The story
The idea of transplanting a Hollywood burlesque club into a Midwest suburban outdoor mall sounds improbable, but nightlife producer Ivan Kane—an actor who appeared in Platoon before launching the original Forty Deuce in Los Angeles in 2002—did exactly that. After runs in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, he brought the concept to Easton Town Center: hide a multi-level nightclub behind the grease and flour of an everyday slice shop.
From Brighton Rose Square, you walk into what looks like a basic New York-style pizzeria. The trick lies behind the counter. Walk through the swinging kitchen doors, grab the heavy handle of what appears to be a commercial walk-in refrigerator, and pull. Beyond the insulated freezer door is a multi-level speakeasy centered around a circular revolving turntable stage.
Rather than relying on backing tracks, the show hinges on a live three-piece jazz band—stand-up bass, sax, and drums—that plays in real time while burlesque dancers perform on the turntable and along the bar top. Between setlists, a live DJ takes over the room to convert the venue into a late-night dance club.
What it's like
You step off a manicured mall sidewalk, order a slice downstairs to establish your cover, and then slip past the kitchen staff toward the walk-in fridge. Pulling open the heavy door reveals a dark, multi-level room wrapped around a revolving stage. On show nights, the stand-up bass thrums through the floorboards while dancers move past the crowd. Seating around the VIP tables is limited, so if you want a direct line of sight rather than standing room near the bar, reserve a table upstairs in advance.
The move: Start with a slice of pizza downstairs, then walk through the refrigerator door to secure a VIP table for the sultry burlesque show, sipping on a signature cocktail as the band plays on a revolving turntable.
- 📍 Easton Town Center
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 3959 Brighton Rose Sq, Columbus, OH 43219
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Westerville History Museum (Anti-Saloon League Museum) — Balance out late-night burlesque and cocktails by heading 4.8 miles north to see where anti-alcohol crusaders printed Prohibition propaganda.
- P.O. Box Twenty One — Keep the secret-door theme going by swapping a pizzeria freezer door for a hidden doorway inside a 1990s post office five miles away.
- Dirty Dungarees Laundromat and Bar — Trade bottle service, velvet, and sax solos for dive-bar chaos, live punk music, and laundry machines six miles west.
Good to know
How do you find the hidden entrance?
Walk into the downstairs pizzeria at 3959 Brighton Rose Sq, head past the swinging kitchen doors, and open the walk-in refrigerator door.
What is the entertainment upstairs?
Performances feature a live three-piece jazz band (sax, drums, and stand-up bass) backing a burlesque show on a revolving turntable stage, followed by DJ-driven dance sets.
Do you need reservations to get in?
You can walk in for pizza downstairs, but securing a VIP table or guaranteed seating for the burlesque show upstairs requires booking ahead on their website.
Are food and drinks served inside the nightclub?
Yes, the upstairs speakeasy serves signature cocktails, offers bottle service at VIP tables, and lets you order pizza.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · eastontowncenter.com
last checked: 2026-07-21