Gay spa la

The Hollywood Spa, inaugurated in 1974, served as a pivotal rendezvous for gay men prior to the HIV/AIDS crisis, lacking alternative social outlets. This establishment featured a comprehensive array of amenities, including a hundred private chambers, a disc jockey, a steam room and whirlpool, an adult video lounge, a fitness center, and a café. Its website proclaimed well over a hundred thousand annual patrons.

Within the opulent confines of the Hollywood Spa on Ivar Avenue, patrons could engage in physical activity or enjoy refreshing juices, all while observing each other in their respective attire. The establishment's ambiance comprised vintage Hollywood artwork, pulsating strobe lights, and up-to-date club music curated by resident DJs. (L.A. Times, 27th October, 1997)

Stricter regulations concerning sexual activity at gay bathhouses necessitated the closure of the establishment in 1988. Scott D.R. Goulet, the owner, voiced his defiance, citing a successful legal challenge two years prior and the county's erroneous judgment. John Ferry, co-owner and the spa's manager, declared their intention to resist these directives, articulating the spa's contribution as a safe haven for gay social interaction, health education, and protection from homophobic actions. Sadly, Goulet succumbed to AIDS-related complications in 1993.

Following Goulet's demise, Peter Sykes, the proprietor of the North Hollywood Spa, assumed ownership of the Hollywood Spa. In 2014, Sykes relayed that Denley Companies, under Mehdi Bolour's direction, sought to double the monthly rent for the property on Ivar Avenue. Records from 2014 indicate that the spa had fallen behind in rent payments for approximately six months.

After a five-day celebration, concluding over Easter weekend 2014, the Hollywood Spa permanently closed. The building presently remains unoccupied.