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Soho Warehouse Set to Open in the Arts District in August

For the movers and shakers in Los Angeles, there’s no shortage of high-end health clubs and hotels to wind down and relax in. Even so, it’s exciting when something new pops up, especially when it is a world-renowned brand. This is why there is a lot of excitement and hype surrounding the upcoming opening of Soho Warehouse in Downtown LA this August. This latest branch is a remodeling of a former warehouse which dates back to 1916, and the designers decided to stay true to the building’s recording studio history with the use of retro themes throughout the seven floors.

What is the Global String of Fancy Clubs?

The first-ever Soho House opened in the luxury area of Soho in London in 1995. This sprouted a chain of private members’ clubs which were aimed at people in the arts and media but later broadened to anyone creative. This will be one of the reasons why the chain decided to open a branch in the Arts District of LA. It was founded by Nick Jones, who later sold 80 percent of the club to Richard Caring in 2008. Ron Burkle also invested in 2012 and acquired a 60 percent stake in the hotel chain. There are now nine locations in the United Kingdom, eight in the USA, along with various European branches.

The mission of the Soho chain is to offer a comfortable home from home for members, with luxurious amenities and an unparalleled ambiance. Each individual house has its own unique identity, which helps the chain maintain its esteemed integrity. It also means that it doesn’t get grouped alongside other uniform hotel chains which are the same no matter which country you are in. Some examples of the variety on offer include the Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire which is a quiet country retreat and the Little Beach House in Barcelona which has a chilled-out seaside vibe.

High-Society Clubs Boosted by Popular Culture

High society and affluence have been common themes in popular culture over the years, and this mainstream interest has helped boost the Soho chain. The board game, High Society, from Reiner Knizia was popular in the late 1990s and has been revamped for modern tabletop game fans. It has also been digitalized into an online slot of the same name, which is now one of the most popular games available. It seems appropriate that it was remade for casino players seeing as many games available on such sites – such as blackjack and roulette – have long been associated with high rollers. Along with these games, high society has been portrayed on numerous occasions in film. The Great Gatsby from Baz Luhrmann is a well-known classic example, while more recently Jon M. Chu’s Crazy Rich Asians did well at the box office with a gross of $238 million worldwide against a production budget of $30 million.

In addition to these lavish forms of entertainment, Soho House has even featured in mainstream television offerings itself. The New York branch appeared in the Sex in the City episode, Boy Interrupted. In the Season 6 installment, Kim Cattrall’s character, Samantha Jones, tries to use a stolen membership card in order to enter the club. This episode of the hugely successful television series served to boost Soho House’s prestigious appeal further. Some film screenings have occurred in certain branches as well, with the 2017 Justin Chadwick film, Tulip Fever, shown for the first time at London’s Soho House.

What Will Visitors be Able to Do There?

If you haven’t had the privilege of visiting any spots of the Soho House chain yet, you may be considering getting a membership for the upcoming LA branch. But before you invest the $3,300 annual membership which gains you access to any of the locations across the globe, it’s important that you understand what you will get for your money.

First of all, you need to know an existing member who can back your application. Once a member, you will have access to some incredible facilities. One of the most exciting features is the Soho Active gym, which is a split level exercise space with multifunctional machines. There are various classes on offer along with a sauna and steam room for winding down after your workout. There is also a large rooftop swimming pool which provides a great view of downtown LA. Along with this, there are fantastic, spacious hotel rooms. There are even a few restaurants serving fine cuisine to suit almost any palate. The dishes are simple with locally sourced ingredients, adding to the amazing LA food and drink scene.

With all these amazing amenities, along with special events for members, the Soho Warehouse in downtown LA sounds like an exciting prospect. Residents of the city will almost certainly be eying up membership for this one, but it would be worth splashing out the extra annual fee and getting access to all of the 23 different locations as well. The location can be found in Santa Fe, just down the road from Bestia restaurant.

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Photo By: Via Soho House

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