Latest news with #SunsetStrip
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
LA's iconic Sunset Boulevard faces decline as businesses flee
One of America's most famous streets is facing an undeniable decline as longtime businesses once central to its character are fleeing. As recently as ten years ago, Sunset Boulevard, also known as the Sunset Strip, was one of the top places to go in California for dinner and drinks. That's according to Chris Leonard, who told SFGate that when he moved to the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood about a decade ago, every single bar and restaurant would be packed by 9:30pm. However, recent social media posts decrying the lack of activity, city leaders putting out statements about a declining number of tourists and at least five businesses permanently closing since February all point to the waning influence of the iconic two-mile stretch of strip mall. The most recent restaurant to shutter its Sunset Strip location was Chin Chin , a well-known Chinese restaurant made popular by the Kardashians and other celebrities. It has been in business there since 1983 and announced at the end of May that it would close on July 27. Rock & Reilly's Irish Pub suffered a similar fate. After 14 years of operation on the strip, the well-known establishment shut down in March just before St. Patrick's Day, one of the biggest days of the year for Irish pubs. Both Chin Chin and Rock & Reilly's have other locations throughout Los Angeles that are still thriving. Rock & Reilly's even has plans to open a new bar in LAX. West Hollywood Mayor Chelsea Byers explained that a lack of foot traffic post-COVID has made some businesses think twice about staying on the Sunset Strip. 'For us as a city, it's about what we can continue to do to make sure that West Hollywood reads as a business-friendly community, has people walking around, coming out, wanting to spend their dollars,' Byers told KABC . 'It's not up for every business to have to stay open forever and ever.' Le Petit Four, a popular French restaurant on the strip, announced it would close on March 31. The casual bistro, which started out as a pastry shop in 1981, cited 'rising costs' and 'a decline in foot traffic' as reasons it was forced to shutter. One of the key rising costs for restaurants in West Hollywood is the extraordinarily high minimum wage. The municipality has hiked the minimum wage more than 30 percent since the start of the pandemic, with it now settling at $19.65 per hour for non-hotel employees. 'It's absurd,' Le Petit Four's general manager, Luc Mena, told NBC4 in March. 'In order for us to survive, we would have to sell $80 steaks.' Labor costs are often one of the biggest expenses for restaurants, and that burden is certainly felt in West Hollywood, where the minimum wage is nearly $2 higher per hour than what Los Angeles County has stipulated. Other popular eateries on the Sunset Strip that have closed this year include Hudson House and The Den, though neither shared why they shut down. Other than astronomical labor costs for businesses, some have theorized that the strip has slowly lost its identity over the years, which has contributed to its decline. It has undergone a transformation from a place known for dive bars and laid-back concert venues to an area that almost exclusively caters to luxury-minded customers and rich celebrities, according to SFGate. 'There is a transition, just in terms of how costly everything is, into something more luxury-driven,' Genevieve Morrill, the president of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, told the outlet. She said this has happened because 'the land is so expensive.' Because commercial rents are high and the clientele is wealthy, developers have turned their attention to extravagant new projects. The Viper Room, an iconic night club and live music venue once owned by Johnny Depp, was set to be demolished to make way for a 90-room five-star hotel and roughly 28,000 square feet of restaurant, cafe and bar space. That particular development failed because the owners went into foreclosure , but other luxury experiences are making their way through the approvals process. For example, the Sunset Strip could eventually welcome a Las Vegas-style sphere, which would set up shop right across the Saddle Ranch Chop House, according to the plans under review.
New York Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Real-Life Dating Boot Camp That Inspired ‘Love on the Spectrum'
Thirty-six hours after dropping his date off at her apartment, Bradley Goldman was on a video call with his dating coach, breaking down the events of the evening. For one thing, he told the coach, he had chosen the wrong venue for someone on the autism spectrum — a bar of the Sunset Strip hipster variety, so loud and overstimulating that he could almost feel himself beginning to dissociate. Mr. Goldman, a tall, rangy 42-year-old who works as an office manager, hadn't decided in advance of the date whether to mention that he had been diagnosed with autism, or that he was working with a coach. So he deflected, and they found themselves, briefly, in a conversational blind alley. 'I struggle with how to disclose,' he said. 'Do I say I am 'neuro-spicy'? Or 'neurodiverse'? Or do I disclose at all?' His coach, Disa Jean-Pierre, was sympathetic. 'You could just wait for it to come up naturally after a few dates,' she suggested. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
02-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Longtime West Hollywood Chinese restaurant to close its doors after 45 years
A Chinese restaurant that has called the Sunset Strip home for more than four decades is closing its doors this summer. Chin Chin on 8618 W. Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood is set to close as the company searches for a new location, it announced on its social media pages on Saturday. The reason for the closure wasn't revealed, although the company statement called it "unexpected." "Over the decades, we've celebrated countless milestones, shared unforgettable meals, and built lasting connections with our cherished guests," the statement reads in part. "None of this would have been possible without your unwavering support, and for that, we are deeply grateful." The West Hollywood location of Chin Chin is closing its doors after 45 years in business, the company announced over the weekend. Google Maps The West Hollywood location's last day of service will be Sunday, July 27. Chin Chin's other three locations, in Brentwood, Studio City and Las Vegas, will all remain open. It's not clear if a potential new location will be in West Hollywood or elsewhere. The closure is the latest in what's been a tough stretch for one of the iconic streets of Los Angeles. Le Petit Four, a famous French-style bakery, closed earlier this year in a location just a couple of doors down from Chin Chin West Hollywood. In March, The Den on Sunset closed after 16 years in business.
The Age
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Places to go West hollywood
Barney's Beanery is a modest-looking shack, with a gaudy striped awning, that has sat on humming Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles for almost a century. And its unique placement on the famous Route 66 means it came up with an equally singular way for its luckless customers to pay for a bowl of its famous chilli back in the day. 'The road outside the Beanery is Santa Monica Boulevard, but it also used to be the end of Route 66, before the highway went all the way down to the Santa Monica Pier,' says Jon D'Amico, owner and tour guide of Sunset Strip Rock 'N' Walk Tours. Once the end point of Route 66, Barney's Beanery is on Santa Monica Boulevard. Credit: Julie Ansiau 'Remember, 100 years ago, the people who were coming to California were getting away from the Great Depression, or the Dust Bowl, and they wanted to start their life over. They were destitute, so Barney said: 'I know you're broke but here's the deal. I will feed you a bowl of my chilli, and you can give me your front car licence plate as collateral'. And to this day, the bar is covered in the licence plates of the people who did not get their collateral back.' Now, when you open the door to Barney's Beanery, and your eyes adjust to the dim light, you will see hundreds of car plates, shiny, scratched, dinged up. They cover the roof, interlaced with fairy lights sitting above muted televisions that never stop showing sport. Multicoloured booths run from the door down to the pool tables at the back, and rock 'n' roll plays just loud enough to shout over. Steaming bowls of the venerable chilli still come out of the kitchen with numbing regularity. The original Barney's Beanery was opened in Berkeley, California by John 'Barney' Anthony in 1920 but a few years later the diner burnt down. Barney moved his chilli house to the current building on State Route 2, also known as Route 66, in 1927 and the place had a reputation. Falling just out of the jurisdiction of the LAPD, what we now know as West Hollywood was home to speakeasies and other ne'er-do-well establishments during the Roaring Twenties. This lawlessness was the basis for how the Sunset Strip got its party reputation right up to its hair-metal heyday in the 1980s. Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles. Credit: Getty Images Each of those number plates hanging over your head has a story, but they just scratch the surface of the tales that the Beanery has been associated with. 'I start and end my tours at Barney's Beanery for a reason,' says D'Amico. 'There is a lot of music history here and some of it is literally written on the walls and on the ceiling. 'And it is still a hotbed of music activity; it has recently seen everyone from Taylor Swift to Slash here, and it remains an iconic spot in LA.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dump Truck Crashes Into Iconic Whisky a Go Go Music Venue on Sunset Strip
A dump truck slammed into the iconic Whisky a Go Go music venue in West Hollywood, Calif., on Friday afternoon (May 9). Los Angeles County fire officials said the crash occurred around 1:40 p.m. and involved five vehicles, according to ABC 7. The truck also struck a power pole, cutting electricity to a block surrounding the famed Sunset Strip landmark. No serious injuries were reported. More from Billboard Alice in Chains Cancel Tour After Drummer Sean Kinney's 'Medical Emergency' - UPDATE 'Monster' Hit: Volbeat Tops Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart Jackson Wang Talks Inspiration for 'MAGIC MAN 2': 'What Do I Want to Say as a Person?' 'Due to the traffic collision, some power has been affected and power is out to some parts of the area,' the Los Angeles County's Sheriff Department stated in a Friday alert. 'Crews are currently on scene and working to restore power.' The incident forced the cancellation of Friday night's scheduled show, which was to feature bands including Boy Hits Car, Barefoot in the Bathroom, and Gearheart. The famed hoped it could reopen by Saturday. 'Well… that was wild,' Boy Hits Car wrote on Instagram. 'Yesterday, just hours before we were set to headline at the legendary Whisky A Go Go, a dump truck crashed into the venue. Our show was unfortunately canceled as a result, but the scene quickly turned surreal. ABC7 News and KCAL were there on the spot, and next thing you know, we're doing interviews for TV instead of soundcheck.' The band continued, 'We're grateful no one was hurt and we appreciate everyone who reached out in concern. It wasn't the night we planned, but it sure was memorable.' The Whisky a Go Go, which opened in 1964, helped foster Los Angeles' burgeoning rock scene. The venue has hosted generations of legendary acts — from The Doors, the Byrds and Janis Joplin to Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Guns N' Roses and Mötley Crüe. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
