Through the Years, a Multitude of Influential Artists Have Collaborated With the Venue Including Billie Eilish and Chappell Roan
By Zach Armstrong
Winston House, the popular restaurant, bar, and music destination of Venice Beach situated along Windward Avenue, will end operations on New Years Day, the business announced on social media.
Reasons for the closure were not immediately disclosed.
“We are deeply grateful to everyone who made Winston House possible. Bringing live music back to one of Venice’s original stages has been a dream come true–one that persevered through the pandemic, and became reality in August 2021, thanks to your support.” the establishment stated in a social media post. “Since then, we’ve collaborated with so many incredible artists and had the privilege of getting to know many of you as our guests and friends.”
The concept for Winston House started as a grassroots movement to bring more live music to Venice, co-owner Corey McGuire describes on its website. McGuire opened his house to young artists from Oregon who needed a place to stay in Los Angeles during the summer of 2015. Soon after, his abode became a place where shows were hosted and artists could both share their work and make friends.
Eventually, after creating a logo and name, operations for Winston House moved adjacent to the beach at 23 Windward Ave., the former location of the St. Mark’s Jazz Club. Designer Bridget Rynne and Michael Baker crafted the interior to mimic the “eclectic atmosphere” of McGuire’s loft, Hospitality Design reported. To establish a sense of intimacy, the pair incorporated aesthetics of Wes Anderson films and traditional supper clubs for the interior.
Through the years, a multitude of influential artists have collaborated with the venue: Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Hozier, Justin Bieber, Young The Giant, The Shins, A$AP Ferg, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Yungblud, along with many others, according to its website.
In addition to musical performances, Winston also operated as a supper club, serving a menu that is “sort of classic American fare mixed with mostly Chinese and Japanese ingredients,” LA Eater wrote of the options, which included Truffle steak frites, fried chicken nuggets with sansho salt, and shrimp toast with maple chili glaze. Jared Dowling, a former executive chef of New York City’s Fat Radish who previously designed menus at Habitas resorts, was the initial executive chef.
This is not, however, a finish to the efforts of Winston’s owners to create a place where artists can perform and collaborate.
“To everyone who shares our belief that live music belongs in Venice, CA, and that local businesses supporting artists are an essential part of the fabric of our community, please know that we are fighting to keep the dream alive.” stated the social media post. “This setback does not diminish our commitment to creating performance spaces, to supporting artists, and to building community around music.”
Updates on the venue’s final events, and for “what’s next”, can be found on its Instagram page: @winstonhouse
