This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom 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.
DBA, West Hollywood's Sauciest Nightclub, Shuts Down
DBA, the West Hollywood club known for artsy and scantily clad performances, has closed its doors for good.
The club ceased operations at the end of May, but news just broke that it wouldn't be reopening. It's still unclear exactly why the club closed. Dilip Bhavnani, one of the major investors in Cardiff Giant, the team behind the venue, tells WEHOville, “There’s a lot of legal ramifications to what is happening with that space and unfortunately my lawyers have told me I can’t discuss it.”
The nightclub opened in December of 2013 with the aim of upending the typical, unremarkable club-vibe by offering more creative and edgy entertainment. Early shows featured artsy spectacles—with occasional full frontal nudity—curated by Simon Hammerstein. More recently, the club was the L.A. home to the unique cabaret-style shows of For The Record Live, which brought to the stage the soundtracks of films from John Hughes, Quentin Tarantino and others.
Beau Laughlin, one of the Cardiff Giant partners, tells WEHOville, "We founded DBA with the intention that it be so much more than a ‘nightclub’. We’re very aware that in hospitality, and especially so with nightlife, people want to constantly be surprised and stimulated.” Laughlin said DBA hoped to attract patrons “comfortable in the presence of the unfamiliar, be it art, culture, music and lifestyle, and open to anything, even, dare I say, a little discomfort!”
Prior to DBA, the iconic building was home to a jazz club in the 1950's, the Pink Pussycat Strip Joint in the 1960s and a lesbian bar known as Peanuts in the 1970s.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
