Marvin Gray opened the Honka Monka on Queens Boulevard near 40th Street in January 1969. In 1970, Gray was co-founded a record company, Grande Records, which specialized in rock and soul music.[5] He sometimes promoted acts from the label at the club.[6] Gray spent six months designing the club whose name derived from a hotel at which he had visited in Japan.[3] He intended the Honka Monka to be a Latin club after producing Latin shows in nearby theaters, but the audience who came were unfamiliar with Latin dances so he switched booked rock bands instead.[3]
In July 1970, Ike & Tina Turner performed at the club. They were photographed by Bob Gruen who was yet to launch his career as a rock photographer.[7]
Returning to his first love of Latin music, Gray imposed a Latin policy which from Friday through Sunday, Latin bands only performed. Eddie Palmieri's orchestra and the LeBrón Brothers orchestra are some bands that performed at the Honka Monka.[3]