With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Grindr Is Moving In To West Hollywood's Pacific Design Center
West Hollywood's Pacific Design Center (Photo by Michael Locke via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
()
Looks like things have gotten serious for Grindr, who are moving in to a new place and looking to stay for the long-haul.Last week the gay dating app signed a lease to move into a more spacious office in West Hollywood, upgrading from their current 3,400-square-foot office in Hollywood to an 18,000-square-foot, 14th-floor office in the Pacific Design Center's RedBuilding. Although the terms were not disclosed, the lease is described as "long-term" and similar rates at the RedBuilding go for about $1.1 million per year.
"We are pleased to welcome Grindr to the RedBuilding where they join a prestigious roster of creative tenants," said RedBuilding's owner and developer Charles Cohen said in a statement. "Our West Hollywood location puts Grindr at the center of the LA region's thriving and creative epicenter."
The move comes as Grindr looks to expand beyond just being a dating/hookup app for the gay community. "It will always be a dating app but they are hoping to do more of what Playboy did... and expanding into other elements of pop culture that matter to the LGBT community," Ryan Harding of Newmark Knight Grubb Frank, who represented Grindr in the deal, said to The Real Deal. Both the relocation and the expansion of the app's scope comes after Grindr sold a majority stake in the company to a Chinese gaming company.
"We have taken this investment in our company to accelerate our growth," wrote Grindr CEO and founder Joel Simkhai in a blog post, "to allow us to expand our services for you, and to continue to ensure that we make Grindr the number one app and brand for our millions of users."
Support for LAist comes from
Grindr will now share a building with other creative companies, including Clique Media, Abrams Artists Agency, Gaumont International Television and Wharelock Industries, who make apps for the Kardashians and Tyler, the Creator.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course. -
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high. -
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails.
Best of LAist