The Beverly Hills Country Club was never really a country club, and it wasn’t even in Beverly Hills. Now, it’s nothing more than a brand name on luggage and polo shirts.

When the pool and tennis club, actually located in Los Angeles, traded hands earlier this year, the previous owner sold off the club’s land and buildings to one buyer and its name to another.

With the name “Beverly Hills Country Club” now controlled by a marketing firm – one that licenses the name to companies that make luggage, apparel and other consumer products – the new owners of the real estate are rechristening the location as the Griffin Club Los Angeles.

Chicago investment firm Singerman Real Estate and Meriwether Cos., a real estate development firm in Boulder, Colo., which bought the club in May, are also planning a $10 million renovation they hope will boost Griffin’s membership.

Though the old name conjures a certain grandeur, Graham Culp, managing partner at Meriwether, said the name change has been a good thing. Why? Because it will better reflect the updated look and feel – not to mention the location and offerings – of the club.

“The club is not in Beverly Hills and it’s not a country club,” Culp said. “The renovations are not just physical but also a cultural shift in the level of service and quality. And being able to reset the name is important.”

Singerman and Meriwether purchased the four-acre property, which features tennis courts and swimming pools but no golf course, in May from seller Gene Axelrod’s company L.A. Partners. Axelrod had owned the property since 1985.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Commercial real estate database CoStar Group Inc. reported the real estate sale was valued at $24 million, but Culp said the total consideration was higher.

Axelrod declined to comment on the sale, and representatives of BHCC Group, an L.A. firm that managed the Beverly Hills Country Club name as recently as last year, did not return calls for comment.

Culp reported he was told the name was sold to a licensing company named Masterbrand Licensing International and that it has exclusive rights to use the name for luggage and apparel. A company with that name is registered in Santa Monica, according to a state database.

Name change aside, Culp described the club as outdated and desperately in need of a refresh. Indeed, the club’s renovations come just as others in town are doing similar work, trying to bring in new members with updated amenities and modern ambience. In downtown Los Angeles, clubs including the Los Angeles Athletic Club and City Club Los Angeles have lately renovated their properties, trying to keep things fresh.

“We know there’s a demand for this type of club,” Culp said. “In 1986, it was a well-done tennis club, but there had been no major renovations. So it’s in dire need of improvements.”

Culture club

Beverly Hills Country Club was founded in 1926 by Elmer Griffin, uncle of TV host and Hollywood mogul Merv Griffin. It was meant to be a place for Hollywood executives and celebrities such as Humphrey Bogart and Errol Flynn – many of whom, as entertainers, were not admitted to other private clubs – to socialize and play tennis.

At its peak, the club had more than 2,000 members. Now, Culp said there are about 1,500 members, who pay monthly dues ranging from $175 to more than $350.

Prices are expected to increase once renovations are completed.

Culp said that despite raising the private club’s fees, 95 memberships have been added since the club was purchased in May. He credits a marketing push that touts planned upgrades at the club.

Singerman and Meriwether plan to renovate the property in phases. Work will start in February, with the first project focused on the club’s pools, hot tub and pool deck. Members can expect to see more greenery, with trees and other landscaping being added to the pool area. There will also be new outdoor furniture.

The interior of the clubhouse will also get a complete overhaul.

“I would tell people every wall, ceiling and floor is going to be touched on the interior,” Culp said.

Once complete, the interior is expected to reflect what he called a contemporary “coastal California vibe.”

Singerman and Meriwether recently submitted permits for the pool work and partnered with Calabasas landscaping firm Valley Crest to handle its design and landscaping. They also recently signed up Basalt, Colo., architecture firm CCY Architects and Woodland Hills design firm Creative Resource Associates, which will be responsible for the interior.

While many private clubs, especially in downtown, are renovating to attract a younger crowd, Griffin Club is focusing its efforts on appealing to families. Unlike the downtown clubs, which are surrounded by hip restaurants and new retailers, Griffin Club is situated in the residential Cheviot Hills neighborhood and is flanked by large single-family homes. It is on Motor Avenue a little north of the 10 freeway – and more than a mile south of the Beverly Hills boundary.

“We want it to be exclusive, but a West L.A. neighborhood club,” Culp said. “People drive by it and they have no idea what it is. It should be an iconic feature.”

But more than building a more iconic façade, Culp said he hopes to build a more social atmosphere at the club. Members often visit for a few hours and then leave, but he said adding more programs and amenities will get guests to stay longer.

“It’s not that it’s anything necessarily new but improving programming, not just cocktail hour, but also great family summer camps and swimming programs,” he said. “We envision people coming in the morning and staying all day long. That’s our goal.”