The Young and the Restless: Who Should Run Noah Newman’s New Shadow Room?

Noah Newman finally has his American dream venue. After years of running a nightclub in London, he met Matt Clark (Roger Howarth), who was going to partner up and help him build in Los Angeles. But it all went a little sideways when Noah (Lucas Adams) had an affair with his wife, nearly got killed, almost lost his dad, and Matt got amnesia. But that was so yesterday.

Today, Noah whipped together a brand-new recreation of the L.A. hotspot that Matt and Sienna owned, The Shadow Room, right there in Genoa City. Noah built it in hopes of jogging Matt’s memory, and sure enough, it worked instantly. 

But now, in addition to owning the L.A. version of the nightclub, he’s got its replica as well. And maybe he plans on running it himself and contracting out the Los Angeles bar like he does with London, but chances are, he’ll need more staff than just himself. 

Who is going to work there? Genoa City may already have several candidates with direct ties to The Shadow Room.

The Obvious Choice: Sienna Bacall

If experience is the deciding factor, the answer seems obvious. Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) spent years building and operating The Shadow Room in Los Angeles. Even before Victor (Eric Braeden) stole her and Matt Clark’s assets and handed the club to Noah, Sienna ran the day-to-day operation of the business. 

Sienna knows the clientele, understands the nightlife industry, and knows exactly what made the original Shadow Room successful.

There’s just one complication: She might not want to. When Noah casually revealed that Victor had given him The Shadow Room, Sienna was visibly stunned. Although she had to congratulate him, it was difficult to miss that she was being asked to celebrate everything she owned being taken away and handed to Noah. It was Victor’s way of punishing Matt, but no one, not even the great love of her life, seemed to recognize that she was collateral damage and expected to accept destitution.

That awkward dynamic hasn’t disappeared simply because Noah built a replica in Genoa City. Could Sienna put her feelings aside and run the club? Absolutely.

But the bigger question is whether she’d want to spend every day working for the man who benefited from Victor taking away her livelihood. A lot has happened since that event, and there might be some underlying tension there.

Don’t Forget Nick Newman

Longtime viewers remember that Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) successfully operated The Underground for years. The nightclub became one of Genoa City’s most popular gathering spots before eventually fading into history after its roof caved in, and he opted to not rebuild.

Nick understands both the business side and the social side of nightlife. He also has something Noah lacks: years of experience dealing with Genoa City’s unique mix of wealthy power players, schemers, and troublemakers.

Would Nick want another nightclub responsibility at this stage of his life? Maybe not. But if Noah starts looking for advice, Nick’s expertise could prove invaluable, and a father-son team might be what they both need. 

The Plot-Twist Option: Matt Clark

This possibility would have seemed impossible just a few months ago. Maybe even just a few minutes ago.

Matt Clark was Noah’s nightclub-ownership mentor in Los Angeles. Before everything exploded, Matt was preparing to become Noah’s business partner in building another Los Angeles bar. 

Noah respected him, trusted him, and looked up to him as a businessman. Of course, that was before Matt’s true identity was exposed and Victor destroyed his empire.

If…and granted, this might be a massive if… Matt genuinely commits to changing, a future business partnership with Noah could become an intriguing redemption story. Of course, it would require forgiveness and a chance granted by the Newmans, and the police.

If it all worked out, it wouldn’t be a bad idea, as Matt knows The Shadow Room better than anyone. And by bad idea, we mean business-wise. Because even with a redemption arc, he’s Matt Clark and somewhere inside him, the real version exists. Good luck with that.

Holden May Be the Sleeper Candidate

Then there’s Holden Novak (Nathan Owens). While he may not have ownership experience, Holden previously worked at The Shadow Room in Los Angeles and understands how the club operated. Unlike Sienna or Matt, he wouldn’t come with years of emotional baggage tied to Noah’s acquisition of the business.

In fact, Holden may be exactly the type of employee Noah needs — someone familiar with the brand but not personally invested in the ownership drama.

It might also serve as good timing, as Holden just found out he is Lily’s (Christel Khalil) half-brother, and Devon (Bryton James) and Nate (Sean Dominic) are wary. An invitation to join the family business might not be in the cards just yet, if ever. But really, a nightclub seems more Holden’s style than the corporate business suit.

Available Now

Daniel Romalotti (Michael Graziadei) may not have direct nightclub experience, but he has something several of the other candidates don’t: availability.

Ever since his gaming company collapsed and his various creative projects stalled, Daniel has spent much of the past few years drifting between ideas without finding a lasting professional direction. While other Genoa City residents seem to land new jobs overnight, Daniel has remained surprisingly underutilized despite his experience in creative industries.

The biggest obstacle may be convincing Daniel himself. Running a nightclub requires long hours, constant problem-solving, and dealing with Genoa City’s endless supply of drama. On the other hand, it would finally give Daniel something he’s been missing for quite a while: a purpose.

And let’s be honest — after years of watching him search for his next chapter, viewers might be ready to see Daniel doing something other than brainstorming his next career move over coffee.

What Do You Think?

One last thought…Tessa (Cait Fairbanks) has been working at Society for years now, and while she’s got the experience of management and bartending, Abby (Melissa Ordway) would probably be lost without her. That’s not to say though, she and her singing partner Daniel don’t entertain the crowds over at The Shadow Room. And the more time they spend together…well, you can see the possibilities.

Let us know who you think should be running Genoa City’s newest hotspot.