Presented by eBay
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

CULTURE

Eighties Flashback at Maggie's Club in London

For better or worse, the eighties always find a way back in vogue. The "A Team" remake is currently in theaters, and there's the "Wall Street" sequel and a live action "Smurfs" movie on the way. Fashion’s current obsession, splashes of electric hues, are easy abstractions from eighties neon excess. And two decades after MC Hammer rocked the parachute-pants, the harem look is huge.

Charlie Gilkes and Duncan Stirling banked on this nostalgia for big hair, strong shoulders and synthesized music in their latest London hotspot, Maggie’s. The young entrepreneurs, both in their twenties, previously opened a hidden speakeasy named Barts in February of 2009. Named after the period’s prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, the new Chelsea club is a tribute to the me decade. Bartenders dress like Tom Cruise in the cult movie, Cocktail, and waitresses in neon leggings and permed wigs serve guests at giant Rubik’s Cube tables. Walls are tagged with 80s legends like Mr. T and David Bowie, and other iconic images, knick-knacks and décor adorn every available nook. The club’s menus are even read through classic view masters.

“We purchased nearly all of the memorabilia in the club off eBay,” says Gilkes. “It was a fantastic tool in that we could cherry pick some of the more obscure 1980s items like Margaret Thatcher figurines and 80s platinum disks.”

Both children of the 80s, Gilkes and Stirling—like many of the club goers—share a fascination with the decade's decadence. “We did a lot of brainstorming with friends about memories and things we associated with this period,” says Gilkes. Topping the list? Ed the Duck puppet, Ronald Reagan portraits, Margaret Thatcher slippers and Blue Peter pictures.

Even the club goers get into the spirit, donning their biggest hair and best 80’s duds. “We wanted to create a place that totally encapsulates the period from its history to its music, drinks and style, where people can re-live or live this amazing decade for the first time.” Gilkes adds not a day went by when he didn’t have piles of parcel on his desk from eBay vendors. “I did sometimes forget to check the scale of the items,” says Gilkes, “and pieces that I thought would cover whole walls turned out to be the size of a post card!”

 

We hit the rewind button and searched eBay for 80’s themed memorabilia.


1. NEW Original Rubik’s Cube (buy it now price, $27.50)

2. Ray-Ban Wayfarer (buy it now price, $69.99)

3. NEW The Smurfs, Volume 2/Season 1 (buy it now price, $22.49)

4. Molly Ringwald/Sixteen Candles original poster (buy it now price, $8.99)

5. Pee Wees Big Adventure Original movie poster (buy it now price, $335)

6. David Bowie LP (buy it now price, $8.95)

7. Duran Duran “RIO” vinyl (winning bid, $1.25)

8. We are the World sheet music with autographs (starting bid, $100)

9. Atari 2600 system 42 games (winning bid, $217.50)

10. ET toy figure (starting bid, $4.99)

11. NEW A-Team board game (winning bid, $9.95)


** Images provided by Maggie's. **

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