The Los Angeles Athletic Club has been at its storied location for well over 100 years, but its origin story goes back even further.
Formed initially in 1880, the club hopped among many rental locations for years before it constructed its first permanent home downtown on Spring Street. With membership ballooning to hundreds, it again moved to its current home in 1912, the historic location at 431 W. Seventh St. where the classic Beaux-Arts building looms over passersby.
Ricky Sanchez, the marketing and programming complex director for the athletic club, said in a statement that the club’s formation in the late 1880s represented a pioneer in the wellness movement – a lifestyle now practically synonymous with Los Angeles as a pop culture figure – and that it quickly became a beacon for the city’s growing elite.
“The club was incepted as a gathering place to promote health, fitness and camaraderie,” he added. “It was established … with a mission rooted in the belief that physical activity and wellness should be central to a fulfilling life, which was novel for the time period.”
Perks offered at the club
The members-only athletic club offers a wide variety of fitness amenities across four floors, where multiple Olympic athletes have trained before going on to becomes medalists in their sports. The facilities include a six-lane indoor pool and a full-size basketball court.
Other perks at the club include spas, weekly social events and grooming services for its members.
More recently, the club – now under the ownership of Brentwood-based Stockdale Capital Partners – redesigned its seventh-floor fitness center, opened a new cross-training fitness center on the first floor and added a new spin studio and bottle shop. Its Famous Players café, run by chef Marco Cerruti, was renovated and reopened this year. And in keeping with the tradition, the gym is planning to do its part for the upcoming 2028 Olympics that will take place throughout Los Angeles County.
“Our aim is to cultivate a community that wants to be a part of the revitalization of not only DTLA but the greater Los Angeles area,” Sanchez said. “We will be sponsoring Olympic athletes through our #roadtoLA28 campaign and this will become their training ground for the upcoming Olympics.”
In addition to its club offerings, the institution is also known for its 72-room hotel that is available for non-members and includes access to all of the fitness amenities for said guests. And it is of course known for its John R. Wooden Awards, which annually recognize the nation’s best collegiate basketball players, coaches and All-America teams.
