Today we’d like to introduce you to John Arakaki.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I moved out to LA from Cleveland, Ohio with the delusion of Rock N’ Roll Grandeur & through 99% perspiration & 1% divine intervention helped create the St Felix Concept as well as the Powder Room. Our original concept in St Felix started in West Hollywood in 2008. We have always been an alternative to the Hollywood food & cocktail scene since we started.
A venue with creative food & drink choices in fun, but diverse atmosphere served with smile & warmth. In 2011, we opened up our Hollywood location which has been an unbelievable experience from hosting intimate party gatherings to large-scale movie wrap parties & everything in between. It’s been an exciting journey hosting the royalty of Hollywood to the loyal Ohio Sports fan for viewing parties. The momentum keeps growing in the ever-changing landscape of LA & our concept continues to develop & evolve.
Fortunately, we surround ourselves with a strong team that keeps it’s ear to the ground & is constantly reimagining our cocktail & food program to keep things fresh but also keeps our winners as a staple that has built our success story & solidified our foundation. We anticipate 2018 to be our strongest year yet as we continue to grow & have recently been approached to expand the concept.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are many obstacles & challenges in LA. It’s hard enough trying to drive from your Apartment to get gas 1 mile away and get that done in less than 45 minutes. Lol.
I think the biggest challenge in being a traditionally tough business as well as being a small business in LA are cost variables outside of your control are obstacles facing our industry.
It’s always a challenge to bring a quality experience for a reasonable price to the customer. But through perseverance & sweat, we have survived the Recession & the ever-changing laws & rising costs that affect us & to continue to build upon the previous year’s success.
Please tell us about St Felix.
St Felix has always been ahead of the curve without having a pretentious edge. You can have a young struggling artist sipping cocktails next to an international businessman, and it doesn’t seem different or out of place. We try to create an equal environment that’s just cool.
Our initial location proudly serves the LGBTQ community in West Hollywood but was also became a comfortable destination for the cool musicians heading to the Troubadour. I guess in that aspect we have always had an East Coast feel & sensibility. But most importantly the foundation of the St Felix concept is our strong food & cocktail program.
We have excellent dishes highlighted by our American Wagyu Beef Sliders, Thai Deviled Eggs, the Dino Kale Chopped Salad, & our Jalapeno Mac & Cheese to name a few of our hits. On the cocktail side our Firecracker drink featuring Grapefruit infused Vodka, Lime Juice, & Jalapenos, our house made Sangria, & the Cucumber Dillietante featuring muddled Cucumbers, Dill, & Elderflower are features that have been on our menu for ten years now.
I think the fusion of fresh ingredients & juices with thoughtful presentation & detail has kept our customers’ libatious appetite full & festive! I am proud that each year we do better than the previous year. We are always constantly innovating the menu as well as the atmosphere to keep delivering a better experience for our clientele. In addition, we are known for consistently delivering high-quality events & parties in our Hollywood location. The list of returning clients keeps growing.
We have so many luxuries being so close to the Archlight, Pantages Theater, CNN, & Amoeba Records that it keeps us busy. I also work very hard on the audio/visual component of our customer’s experience. I spend a few hours a week getting a great variety of music tracks to please as many people as possible. Also, my video loops have become legend over time which has built a cult following.
From the Success of the St Felix Concept, we launched The Powder Room. It simply is the greatest High Flying Cocktail Show Bar in Hollywood. Daniel Jones & crew put their soul into making sure every single guest has the most amazing time, singing & dancing. It’s an intimate space & you must arrive early on the weekends to get a good seat.
It’s the perfect blend of Cocktail Mixology with a high energy atmosphere. The room has a 70’s glam inspired feel meets a lighter more feminine color feel vs. the darker feel look of 90% of the venues scattered through Hollywood. We also have our Wall of Mirrors art wall installation. If it’s your birthday make sure you prepare for Pin the Tail on the Showgirl.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I played Ice Hockey when I was a kid. My team was losing 10-0 at the end of the First Period & the opposing team was calling my friend who was the Goalie a loser bullying him. I got super upset and scored five goals. I skated to their bunch and called the whole team out. I tried to will my team to victory, and we lost 13-5, but the other team shut up
Contact Info:
- Address: 1602 Cahuenga Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028 (St Felix Hollywood)
8945 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood 90069 (St Felix WeHo) - Website: http://www.saintfelix.net/
- Phone: 323-469-5001
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @stfelixhwd
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saintfelixhollywood/
- Twitter: @StFelixHwd
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/saint-felix-los-angeles
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/saintfelixwesthollywood
