A puppet theater at 338 Sixth Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn, took down its sign in 2026. Underneath, in hand-painted letters, was an older one: CLUB 338 / HOME OF THE ZODIACS. Captivated by the mystery of this club and the Zodiacs, I set out to learn what I could about this corner of my neighborhood.
I followed the building back to 1891 through deeds, census sheets, liquor license notices, city tax photographs and old newspapers.
- I worked out when the bar became Club 338 by following one telephone number through the directories.
- The Amsterdam News printed the same number in nine help-wanted ads for barmaids.
- Robbers held up the corner grocery three times, and reporters at two newspapers gave different names for its manager.
- In the 1980s, the hosts of a poetry salon charged a dollar at the door and served free wine.
The Zodiacs remain a mystery, despite the intense research. People who saw the sign online have suggested a band, a softball team, a motorcycle club and a secret society. I checked dozens of theories against the records, but so far I can’t tie any of them to this address.
You can read the story and browse the records on the Club 338 site.
