SOURCE: Los Angeles Athletic Club
The opening kicks off 140-day celebration for the historic club’s 140th anniversary.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (September 28, 2020) – In celebration of its 140th anniversary, Los Angeles Athletic Club opened 26,000 square feet of athletic space with the creation of Hercules Beach and Studio Luna, outdoor spaces located on the rooftop of the club’s parking structure and clubhouse, respectively. The opening of these open-air venues kicks off a 140-day celebration for the LAAC’s founding in 1880.
Hercules Beach and Studio Luna are a nod to three of the Club’s earliest presidents whose zeal for amateur sports provided the inspiration for the modern LAAC. The LA Times in 1891 captured this spirit while predicting the importance of outdoor exercise, “A visit to the athletic clubs of this city will convince anyone that a superior (athlete) is being developed here, and outdoor exercise in the finest climate under the sun is doing it.”
Included in the club’s winged foot logo, Mercury, the Roman god of speed, has been a prominent figure throughout LAAC’s history. The use of Hercules and Luna, the gods of thunder and moon, respectively, continues LAAC’s symbolism with Roman gods.
Hercules Beach, located on the rooftop of the LAAC parking garage and modeled after the muscle beach gyms made famous in West LA, is a 20,000 square foot protected open-air gym and group exercise class venue combined with food and drink service in the beach bar for post-workout relaxation featuring a DJ and sound stage. The area also features a space dedicated to grooming featuring vintage barbershop chairs for haircuts, along with shoe shine and sneaker service
from one of the city’s most beloved shoeshiner, Marco. The fitness equipment includes traditional free weights and cardio machines, cross fit stations, power sleds, monster tires with sledge hammers, and a basketball hoop. Group exercise classes are also scheduled early morning and evening for members to enjoy.
A signature piece of Hercules Beach is the new beach bar. The bar will serve cocktails and food in a relaxed beach atmosphere. LAAC has partnered with King’s Hawaiian to collaborate on special menu items featuring their Hawaiian sweet bread.
Studio Luna is a 6,000 square foot studio space for Mind/Body classes including Yoga, Mat Pilates and Meditation. Located on the rooftop of the LAAC’s 12-story clubhouse, this amazing outdoor area features downtown skyline views and a nice cooling breeze.
Both Hercules Beach and Studio Luna will be open Monday-Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Follow #LAAC140 for more information regarding the Los Angeles Athletic Club’s 140th anniversary celebration. The 140-day celebration will continue through the end of January 2021.
ABOUT LOS ANGELES ATHLETIC CLUB
The Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) was the city's first private club. Founded in 1880, LAAC joined a downtown core of businesses that included prominent Angelenos, sons of the pioneers, and adventurers. LAAC eventually outgrew its original quarters and in 1912, moved to its current location at the corner of 7th and Olive Streets. Throughout the years, LAAC membership has read like a "Who's Who" of the city, with names like Lankershim, Garland, Chandler, Dockweiler, Doheny, O'Melveny, and Slauson. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, stars such as Mary Pickford, Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Harold Lloyd, Johnny Weissmuller, and Charlie Chaplin congregated at the club. LAAC also served as the training headquarters for many Olympians, including Pat McCormick and Duke Kahanamoku, winning 97 medals, including 47 gold. In 1976, the club created the John R. Wooden Award, presented annually to the most outstanding player in college basketball. Honorees have included Michael Jordan, Maya Moore, Kevin
Durant and Sabrina Ionescu. Today, LAAC is regarded as one of the top athletic facilities in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.laac.com.
ABOUT KING’S HAWAIIAN
Founded in 1950 in Hilo, Hawaii, by Robert R. Taira, KING'S HAWAIIAN is a family- owned business that for three generations has been dedicated to providing irresistible, original recipe Hawaiian foods made with Aloha Spirit. A priority for the company is sharing the Hawaiian Way – a uniquely Hawaiian approach to hospitality based on graciousness, generosity, and a commitment to making everyone feel a part of the KING'S HAWAIIAN 'ohana' (extended family). KING'S HAWAIIAN makes the #1 branded dinner roll in the United States and the company operates baking facilities in Torrance, California, and Oakwood, Georgia. For more information visit the company's website at www.KingsHawaiian.com, "Like" KING'S HAWAIIAN on Facebook and Follow KING'S HAWAIIAN on Twitter and Instagram.
