Your Daily August, 07th

The Edison

Where downtown goes to drink, spend, squandor and socialize

By Daniel Jose Ruiz
Published: Dec 13, 2007

It is no surprise that after two decades of a declining Downtown Los Angeles, great pains are being taken to revive what was once the beating heart of the city. Part urban renewal, part renaissance, Downtown has started to shift from the desolate-after-6 mentality of the recent past to a more metropolitan ideal that is as much about living as it is working, with a price tag to show for it. This sense of renewal with the goal of returning to past glory is captured quite well by downtown lounge The Edison.

Nestled between Spring and Main on 2nd street, the lounge lurks below the surface, only the line to enter visible from the small alley. The building is brick, unassuming, yet by the velvet ropes, security, and the 20's-esque pinup-bellhops and hostesses, finding The Edison or picking up its vibe isn't hard. The lounge is located inside the building that housed the first-ever private power plant in Los Angeles. The decor is a hybrid of mid 20's and 30's industrial complex with a nuevo-chic flourish to create a sense of nostalgia for the past, yet grounded in the present. With classic cinema, such as The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari, projected on the walls between old power plant machinery, the atmosphere is LA-cool, the lighting low and tinted red, with a tightly enforced dress code (Hip casual is bare minimum) – which is not much of an issue as the clientele is primarily late 20's through 30's business-folk, still in their suits after a long day.

The bar is separated into two levels, the ground level being occupied by mostly the entrance, the stairway down, and a separate Smoker's lounge for those that remember simpler times when lung cancer was for wimps. (This is definitely a smoker-friendly bar, as the bathroom attendants are quite liberal with lending you a few cigarettes and the Smoker's lounge is comfortable if you can get a seat.) Downstairs, the space opens to reveal the main bar and mingling space, a separate and more intimate dining room, and a smaller lounge with its own bar, just south of the immaculate bathrooms. There is a small “game room” with a solitary pool table hardly worth a mention, save for the warning not to expect to shoot any pool unless you arrive early and like to wait.

When the lounge is jumping, the large space can seem overwhelming as it fills with people, however it is large enough that one never feels truly suffocated by the mass. The main bar is the epicenter of the lounge, the entire area around it jammed with folks trying to buy a drink or find someone to buy a drink for them. The smaller “lab” to the side has faster lines and less crowd, which makes it a good spot if you want to socialize but still get a drink in under five minutes. (For a bit of sightseeing, making laps from the lab to the main bar, then to the smaller dining area and back can provide a great treat and a bit of cardio.)

While the Edison prides itself on style and it does not fail in delivering a unique experience, there are limitations inherent to this approach. The bar is well prepared to make any drink, with a nice selection of vintage libations available, however for the casual person this is not a place to drink (or sulk), rather it is a place to gather and mingle. The menu, mostly smaller faire designed to provide a snack rather than meal, is definitely above par (their Tesla sweet potato fries are not the best in the city but hold their own), but the food is as expensive as the drinks, so do not commit unless the last paycheck was thick.

A space of culture, entertainment, business, and living, for a well-earned price, the Edison is the embodiment of Downtown renewal. This lounge is not for the casual drinker or a person uncomfortable running into more lawyers and bankers than mechanics or carpenters. White collar is the name of the game, but if that is your bag, then there is no reason not to stop by, at least for a spell.

Daniel Jose Ruiz received his BA from UCI and his MFA from Cal Arts, and while this may seem impressive, he is also pretty big geek. He is a fiction writer, poet, and rabid social commentator, and a nice guy once you get to know him.

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