Columbus-based DJ Roonie G plans to give downtown nightlife an ‘edge’ with new business
Roongsak Griffeth, also known by his DJ stage name Roonie G, plans to elevate the nightlife experience in Columbus with his new nightclub Pineapple Jack’s and changes to his other club, The Sound Factory.
Pineapple Jack’s will open downtown at 1107 Broadway in the former Club Martini’s location. Griffeth plans to open the new nightclub in two phases.
The nightclub will host a “Sneak Peek Party” Oct. 13, Griffeth told the Ledger-Enquirer, and he will DJ along with other guest DJ’s Oct. 13 and 14.
“Phase one is launching the nightlife experience,” he said. “Which is what I’m all about. So, that’s going to be exciting.”
Guests can expect the music at Pineapple Jack’s to be an open-format mix, which means the DJs will spin a variety of genres including Top 40, pop and electronic music. Customers can also reserve VIP seating, Griffeth said.
“There will be next level visuals, next level lighting and of course the music, which is most important,” he said.
Griffeth has traveled around the world since the ‘90s working as a DJ, he said, and he’s brought back pieces of that experience to Columbus. He’s utilizing his contacts to help bring his vision of Pineapple Jack’s to life.
“I’m pulling all my favors because when you do new projects you want to try to use all your resources,” Griffeth said. “And I have a lot of friends in the industry.”
One of those friends, the lighting technician for a popular DJ named Kaskade, will be coming to Columbus for a week to help Griffeth set up the lighting for Pineapple Jack’s. The technician has a lot of experience doing lighting at EDM festivals, he said.
“With just that alone, it’s going to be something to look forward to,” Griffeth said.
About a month after the soft opening of phase one, Griffeth is planning to host Pineapple Jack’s grand opening when phase two opens. This phase will introduce a dining and happy hour experience at the establishment that will take place earlier in the day.
“This is designed to be a daiquiri bar,” Griffeth said. “So, we’ll have daiquiris and food with some really creative meals.”
Staying true to the establishment’s name, the food and daiquiris will place an emphasis on pineapples. The fruit will be incorporated into menu items including burgers, chicken, sandwiches and the daiquiris.
Customers can also expect live entertainment during happy hour, Griffeth said.
“We’re going to start drawing people from all over downtown for a more exciting atmosphere,” he said. “I love where it’s going downtown, but it always could use a little edge.”
The Sound Factory, which is part of Griffeth’s entertainment complex on Veterans Parkway, is also being revitalized. Martini’s, which was also owned by Griffeth and previously closed, will be incorporated to be part of The Sound Factory.
Music at The Sound Factory will be primarily hip hop and R&B, Griffeth said, along with adding comedy nights. Griffeth has renovated the club and is working with more promoters so the Sound Factory can host more events.
Opening Pineapple Jack’s and revitalizing The Sound Factory give Griffeth a sense of accomplishment because he’s now able to create the businesses he really wanted.
“A lot of time in the early days that I’ve been building my business, I’ve worked with very limited resources and budget,” Griffeth said. “Now, I have access to a lot more resources, so I’m able to really provide the experience I want for the audience.”
This story was originally published October 2, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
