Why brands book us
A brand launch in LA needs the venue to do work. Generic spaces produce generic photos. Hollywood Distillery is a 5,000-square-foot 1920s warehouse on Santa Monica Boulevard with a working copper still as the centerpiece, factory-glass windows along the north wall, and 30-foot wood-trussed ceilings. The room reads like a set on camera; press and influencers consistently shoot images here that get used long after the event.
Beyond aesthetics, the venue gives a brand launch a built-in story — "first working distillery in Hollywood since Prohibition" — that journalists and content creators latch onto. The product activation pivots naturally into a feature about the venue itself.
Common formats
- Press dinner — 30–60 seated guests, custom cocktail menu tied to the brand, four-course catered dinner with editorial press list.
- Influencer activation — 80–150 guests over 3–4 hours, photo wall in front of the still, custom cocktails matched to product palette.
- Product launch with VIP tour — Add a private distillery tour for 12 VIPs ($25/guest add-on), then the launch event for the larger guest list.
- Full buyout — 24-hour rental, exclusive use of the venue, custom branding allowed within reason. Up to 200 guests.
- Photo or film shoot — day rentals Tuesday through Friday for editorial, commercial, or content creation work. More on shoots here.
Recent brand bookings
Recent calendar, redacted for privacy:
- Brand launch for a major skateboarding line — 180 guests, full buyout, custom cocktail menu
- Album listening party — 90 guests, takeover of the bar, cocktail program tied to track names
- Editorial cover shoot — crew of 22, half-day rental
- Product activation for a beauty brand — 80 guests, custom cocktails matched to product palette
- Holiday party for a film studio — 180 guests, full buyout
The cocktail program
Beverage service is exclusively ours. Tell us about the brand and we'll build a cocktail menu specifically around it — cocktail names matched to product names, color matched to your palette, ingredients tied to your story. Spend levels run from a hosted bar at $45/guest for two hours up to bespoke 6–8 cocktail programs for product launches. Catering is open — preferred list or bring your own kitchen-licensed.
Lead time: 4–8 weeks for most weekday launches; 2–4 months for Saturday peaks. Send the inquiry form below with the date, guest count, and a brief description of the brand and we'll send a proposal within one business day.
