In 1998, Los Angeles nightlife impresario Loyal Pennings turned a seedy Mexican restaurant deep in the heart of Hollywood into the preeminent hotspot in Los Angeles. Located just north of Hollywood Boulevard before the multi-million dollar resurgence that has since made Hollywood the place to be, Las Palmas Avenue was a quite street with a handful of souvenir shops, tattoo parlors, and mini markets as neighbors.
The décor of Las Palmas was vibrant yet dark, contrasting an upscale, colorful Spanish color palette with dim lighting and plush, dark leather banquettes that gave it an intimate feel, hidden from the street. Las Palmas nightclub served up trendy cocktails, featured the hottest DJs, entertained the most famous celebrities, and reigned as “the place to be” for five years straight; an eternity by Hollywood’s standards.
In 2003, Loyal wanted to revamp the space to give it a new look and feel and brought in young entrepreneurs John Terzian & Brian Toll to create club LAX. The three have since formed the h.wood group and collectively own Las Palmas, h.wood, and the Tea Room in the Hollywood & Highland development.
Up next for the h.wood group: plans to bring back a bit of the past to create a future for Los Angeles nightlife. With so many Hollywood nightclubs being simply redecorated and reopened with a different name, the h.wood group will go back to the basics this Spring 2010 and revitalize a venue that was the pioneered in shaping today’s Hollywood nightlife scene. Upon arriving at the new Las Palmas, a sizzling outdoor taco stand will greet guests. The Las Palmas taco stand will serve hot tacos as well as a la carte Mexican food and will remain open until 3am.
Inside, the décor of Las Palmas echoes years past and is reminiscent of the old venue so fondly remembered. Vintage Spanish tiles cast glossy hues over sleek wood finishes gleaming brass details contrast harsh metal detailing.
Las Palmas will serve a menu of Mexican fare, feature DJs from all around the world to showcase their sounds and talents, and cater to the clientele that the h.wood group brings to each of their exclusive nightspots around the city.
