Today the term discothèque is usually synonymous with nightclub. The term "Disco" was originally a 60s US abbreviation of discothèque, a place where "disco music" was played.
Some historical discothèques
La Discothèque in Paris (on rue Huchette), opened 1941 (German troops shut down Paris' dance halls)
Whisky à Go-Go, in Paris, opened in 1947 by Paul Pacine
Chez Regine in Paris' Latin Quarter, opened by Regine Zylberberg in 1957
La Discothèque in London opened in 1960
Ad Lib in London, opened in 1963 by Nicholas Luard and Lord Timothy Willoughby
Le Club in NYC, opened in 1960 by Olivier Coquelin, a French expatriate
Peppermint Lounge in NYC, 1961
Whisky A Go-Go in West Hollywood, California, opened in 1964. One of the centers of the 1966 Sunset Strip police riots. (The Miracles recorded the song Going to a Go-Go in 1966).
Arthur in NYC, opened by Sybil Burton in 1965 at the site of the defunct El Morocco
Electric Circus on St. Mark’s Place, a hippie discothèque opened in 1967
L’Interdit in NYC
Il Mio (an Italian discoteca) in NYC
Shepheard’s in NYC
The Loft in NYC, opened in 1970 by David Mancuso
Studio 54 in NYC, operated by Steve Rubell; depicted in the 1998 film 54; parodied in the 2002 movie Austin Powers in Goldmember as Studio 69.
Cheetah in NYC at Broadway and 53rd St.
Whisky a Go Go in Chicago
La Dom, downstairs from Electric Circus, run by Andy Warhol
Aux Puces in NYC, one of the first gay discos
The Sanctuary in NYC, the most famous early 1970s gay disco (part of the movie Klute was filmed there)
Down The Street in Asbury Park, New Jersey, open until 1999
Disco
- Main article: Disco
The term disco is derived from discothèque. It generally refers to a specific style of music and dance that coincided with this cultural landmark.