The Night Kings: The Men Behind South Beach’s Hottest Nightclubs

Roberto Caan ||| mynt nightclub, rok bar, and vita restaurant
“King of Class”

HL What brought you to Miami?
RC I came to Miami in 1993-1994, as I owned a fashion company. I was here for a fashion shoot, and fell in love with the Miami lifestyle. I loved the beautiful women, ocean, and views. I decided to stay and invest in some business.

HL What made you get into the nightlife industry, and how has it evolved or changed since then?
RC I got into the business by accident. Chris Paciello got in trouble, and they needed an investor in Joia. I invested and took over the restaurant. Then we sold it and started Mynt. After Mynt, I opened up Vita Restaurant and Rok Bar. My clients can have an amazing dinner at Vita, and then hit Mynt or Rok Bar for the night, while staying at The Setai or Shore Club.

HL Who was your first mentor and how did he or she influence you?
RC I have someone that I try to pattern my bars after. He had over 15 bars in France and was in business for over 12 years. Always they were the best places to go and very profitable.

HL How do you feel your club has contributed to the real estate boom? What positive effect do you think the club/nightlife scene here has had on growth in the market, and why?
RC Well, look at where Mynt/Vita/Rok Bar is located. Ten years ago, this area was nothing. Now, we have the Shore Club, The Setai, Gansevoort Hotel, and more. People from all over the world would hang out at Mynt, Shore Club, and more, and then want to buy the condo next to their favorite clubs and the ocean.

HL How do you keep your club at the top of its game when there are so many coming and going on a regular basis?
RC I think most important is that we reject people. Seriously. Most of my competitors deal with the masses, as they can make a lot of money running this business model. We are different. We cater to a very small crowd in Miami, as we only want the most beautiful people in our club. That is why people want to continue to come back year after year. Last week I had a client from Latin America that bought 25 bottles of Cristal, all in three hours.

HL Do you think people are willing to pay more for luxury real estate to be in the midst of the action?
RC I think because it’s a big mix of international people, and that is what gets these people to come here – the amazing ocean, beautiful women, and more. Look at me. I came to Miami for a fashion photo shoot and fell in love with Miami. I then bought some units in The Setai, a house, and more. Now I am a full-time resident. I feel this is the same for everyone.

HL What was your most memorable real estate deal?
RC I think one of the best deals was buying in The Setai, but this was buying in the beginning. It was still less than $600 a square foot when I got involved. I just wish I had bought more condos.

HL Where do you live?
RC I live on Venetian Island and have a couple of condos in The Setai.

HL What is your proudest achievement?
RC My clothing business is by far what I am most proud of. I achieved a lot and made a lot of money. To me, the club business is for fun. To open Mynt, then Vita and Rok Bar, was to bring a different venue to the beach. There are not a lot of places that cater to the very rich and beautiful.

HL What is your favorite condo development?
RC The Setai, by far. It’s one of the most beautiful buildings in Miami Beach. Nothing compares.

HL What is your favorite residential neighborhood?
RC I think Star Island is very overrated for what you get. Think about it. You buy an $18 million mansion, and you look across the way and you see The Floridian and the freeway. I personally think Bay Road has one of the most amazing views of the bay. Everybody talks about Star Island, but I love Bay Road.

HL What is your forecast for the real estate market over the next two to three years?
RC I don’t think it will crash, but I think it will stay at this level for quite some time.

HL What is your forecast for the nightlife scene over the next two to three years?
RC I still see room for some big places coming up again, and now I think there are a lot of smaller restaurant/nightclubs and all these places are going to do well.

HL Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
RC Around the world. I am planning to start Mynt Beach Clubs around the world – St. Tropez, South America, and more. I am also very excited about my new business, Ultimate Service Network. We cater to the very elite, helping them charter airplanes and boats. I am currently renting a 180-foot yacht in France for a top CEO of a major corporation. I feel that Miami is slow four to five months a year, so I plan to be in other markets during the slow times.