Brian Toll and John Terzian aren’t household names – but their venues are. Bootsy Bellows. Delilah. The Nice Guy. Poppy. Bird Streets Club. If you’ve seen a paparazzi shot of a celebrity slipping in or out of a club in Los Angeles, there’s a good chance it was one of theirs. In this episode, Brian and John share how a friendship that started by throwing epic house parties at USC turned into the h.wood Group, one of the most influential hospitality brands in the country. We talk about the early failure that almost ended it before it began – their first club was shut down by the City – how they think about exclusivity … including why not letting people in can sometimes be the smartest business decision … and what it really takes to build places that feel both impossible to access and impossible to ignore. It’s a conversation about access, perception, and how they’ve helped define Los Angeles for the rest of the world. And yes – of all the celebrities who’ve come through their doors, we find out who actually left them starstruck.
Brian Toll and John Terzian aren’t household names – but their venues are.
Bootsy Bellows. Delilah. The Nice Guy. Poppy. Bird Streets Club.
If you’ve seen a paparazzi shot of a celebrity slipping in or out of a club in Los Angeles, there’s a good chance it was one of theirs.
In this episode, Brian and John share how a friendship that started by throwing epic house parties at USC turned into the h.wood Group, one of the most influential hospitality brands in the country.
We talk about the early failure that almost ended it before it began – their first club was shut down by the City – how they think about exclusivity … including why not letting people in can sometimes be the smartest business decision … and what it really takes to build places that feel both impossible to access and impossible to ignore.
It’s a conversation about access, perception, and how they’ve helped define Los Angeles for the rest of the world.
And yes – of all the celebrities who’ve come through their doors, we find out who actually left them starstruck.