A crop of new social and co-working clubs is reshaping the way Californians connect
Words by MARIE LOOK, KELSEY McKINNON and JESSICA RITZ
ALLBRIGHT
Allbright opens a West Hollywood club — its first stateside outpost — in Melrose Place this September. Founded in London in 2017 by Debbie Wosskow OBE (the founder of LoveHomeSwap) and Anna Jones (formerly the CEO of Hearst), the Allbright Collective aims to support career-minded women with a robust program geared toward networking, skills improvement and entertainment. In addition to plenty of space for hosting guests, working privately or holding meetings, the L.A. location’s amenities will include a restaurant and bar (plus, rooftop dining), a hair and nail salon, an in-house facialist and more. Membership — which will also grant access to AllBright’s two clubs across the pond — is limited to women, although men will be welcomed as guests. $2,300 annually after $300 joining fee; discount for those under age 30. 8740 Melrose Pl., L.A., membership.LA@allbright.co.
H CLUB
England’s creatively minded social organization known as H Club has hopped the pond to Hollywood, where this month it opens its first stateside location. Membership grants access to the luxurious, European-influenced interiors and five stories of benefits, such as co-working spaces, a 36-seat screening room, a recording studio, curated art program and more. Between taking conference calls and scanning emails, squeeze in a session at the on-site fitness studio, salon or swimming pool (complete with deck and pool bar, of course), or unwind in the Japanese-inspired tea room or on the expansive, 18,000-square-foot rooftop. Throw in fine dining destination Jarman’s, overseen by award-winning chef Kris Morningstar, and 35 well-appointed guest rooms and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a reason to leave. $2,600 annually after $400 one-time joining fee; discount for those under age 27. 1717 Vine St., L.A., 323-962-1717.
HABITAS
With a stunning hotel in Mexico and properties in Namibia and Bali in the works hospitality company Habitas extends its unique sense of location and inspired design to its two clubhouses, located in New York and Venice Beach. The latter is housed in a fully restored beach house on Abbot Kinney Boulevard that dates back to the 1940s and features an enviable mix of vintage and modern furnishings. Members enjoy a long list of benefits, such as access to (and perks at) all Habitas locations, exclusive trip offerings, a global calendar of entertainment and educational programming, and more. Jet-setters will appreciate the ability to store extra items at Habitas locations ahead of future visits (leave your surfing gear in California or your tennis rackets in Manhattan). And philanthropic types will be thrilled that a percentage of members’ contributions help to fund Rise, an organization Habitas established to support culture and community infrastructure in emerging communities around the world. $1,500 minimum membership contribution annually. 1107 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.
SAN VICENTE BUNGALOWS
Late summer also saw the debut of hotelier Jeff Klein’s long-awaited San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood, where by-invitation-only membership includes perks such as access to bungalows for private stays, a screening room and a curated calendar of events. 845 N San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood; 424-313-8088.
SPRING PLACE
Founded in New York, co-working space and social club hybrid Spring Place threw open the doors to its Los Angeles edition — and just its second outpost worldwide — last fall. Located on Wilshire Boulevard, between the Waldorf Astoria and Peninsula hotels, Spring Place Beverly Hills feels not unlike a luxury hotel. At 40,000 square feet strong across three stories and modern interiors in an elegant, neutral color palette, the club is home to both private and open workspaces, phone booths, executive boardrooms and communal lounges. On the top floor, business meets pleasure in the form of a restaurant, an expansive rooftop lounge and bar, and an open terrace area with casual seating. For even more seclusion, there’s a private dining room — a useful option for, say, a hush-hush brainstorming session over dinner. To support the community and facilitate personal growth, Spring Place’s programming includes panel discussions, wellness opportunities, film screenings and even cooking classes. Membership levels from $2,500 annually after $500 one-time initiation fee; discount for those under age 30. 9800 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-363-7990.
THE JANE CLUB
Female-focused The Jane Club, which opened last spring in Hancock Park, expanded this past March into a much roomier homebase on Larchmont Avenue, where it can better support working mothers in creative industries. Just like its original location, the new outpost includes communal workspace plus an on-site childcare facility called The Nest ($20/hour). Members can appreciate amenities and programming such as the complimentary coffee, juices and snacks; on-demand glam; daily meditation sessions; and mid-day workouts. “Our mission is to create, learn, relax, rage and thrive together,” says actor and writer June Diane Raphael, who co-founded the club with producer Jess Zaino. From $250 monthly.
THE WING
After opening locations in Manhattan and Washington, D.C., The Wing, a members-only women’s club and co-working space, set its sights on several new cities, Los Angeles and San Francisco among them. S.F. debuted last year in the Financial District, and the West Hollywood chapter just celebrated its opening on Santa Monica Boulevard in April. Wing membership grants access to a posh local clubhouse, including workspaces and services ranging from lactation rooms to blowouts. Co-founder and CEO Audrey Gelman says, “This is just the start of what we expect to be a very exciting journey.” From $2,350 annually. 115 Sansome St., Ste. 200, S.F.; 8550 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood.
This article originally appeared in the May 2018 issue of C Magazine and has been updated as of Aug. 14, 2019.
Discover more CULTURE news.
