Move over David Geffen. It’s time to meet the world’s newest gay business mogul: Tristan Schukraft
BY MARK ARIEL
He is the new owner of The Abbey Food & Bar and The Chapel in West Hollywood. He is the founder and owner of the telemedicine app for gay men—MISTR. He also owns Tryst Hotels and a few other gay establishments across the country. Move over David Geffen. It’s time to meet the world’s newest gay business mogul: Tristan Schukraft.
In an interview with THE FIGHT Schukraft talks about growing up in Los Angeles, his run for West Hollywood city council and why LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs need to step up to keep our queer villages from disappearing.
Can you tell us about your background. Where did you grow up and how was the coming out process for you?
I grew up in Los Angeles. I like to remind my parents that I was a perfect child, although sometimes our recollection differ. Joking aside, I was headstrong kid but I did well in school and I always had some kind of entrepreneurial hustle. I had stores at swap meets, mowed lawns and even left high school a year early for a modeling contract in Italy. It was in Europe where I discovered my gay self, met my boyfriends and experienced the affects of caring for and losing a friend to HIV. I came out when I was 17, and my parents and entire family was very supportive. I was very lucky, back then it was not as accepting as it is today. My mother was the family matriarch, and everyone had to accept me or deal with her. She sadly passed shortly after I came out.
In 2013 you ran for West Hollywood city council. Were you interested in getting into politics then? Does that still interest you?
I was interested in giving back to and helping my community. I’ve found new ways to do that as an entrepreneur. When you look at The Abbey, Fire Island, DS Tequila and Tryst Hotels and MISTR together, they all have the same mission, to protect, preserve and further our LGBTQ+ villages and communities.
Before becoming the “CEO of everything gay”—as a hotelier, nightlife aficionado and MISTR founder (we’ll get to all that in a moment)—you were a technology entrepreneur. Can you talk about that part of your life?
The first company I founded was ID90, which was an e-ticketing platform for airline personnel. After 14 years, I stepped down as CEO and made various investments, including Frontiers, one of the leading local LGBT publications of its day. MISTR wasn’t something I was planning to launch; it came about trying to get my friends on PrEP—and well—as we know—it really took off.
“The LGBTQ+ -owned businesses that defined our neighborhoods are turning over. If another generation of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs don’t buy them, our queer villages will disappear. Making sure these businesses stay operating and are LGBTQ+ owned—protects our communities.”
Back to the “CEO of everything gay.” When did you decide to invest in LGBTQ related businesses—and what was the motivation to do so?
Tryst Hotels, The Abbey, MISTR, The Blue Whale, The Pavilion, Circo they all kind of connect in an interesting way. Our LGBT forefathers who built these great businesses and queer communities are in their 60s and 70s and looking to retire. The LGBTQ+-owned businesses that defined our neighborhoods are turning over. If another generation of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs don’t buy them, our queer villages will disappear. Making sure these businesses stay operating and are LGBTQ+ owned—protects our communities. For me it’s fun (and a lot of work), but more than anything its a passion project. I’m grateful I’m in a position to preserve and enhance our community.
What challenges have you encountered in investing in LGBTQ businesses?
With hotels, everything takes longer than you think it does, but good things are worth the wait. I try to hire smart and creative people and let them do their jobs…with a lot of input from me. The best part is all the people you meet along the way. Whether it’s the people I work with or the people who visit one of our properties, you build lifelong relationships within the community.
How did the idea for MISTR come about?
When I started MISTR, it wasn’t intended to be a business. I just wanted to help my friends get on PrEP. For the first time, we can eliminate HIV transmission. We have all the medicine and tools we need to do it. We just need to get people on PrEP. I saw all the barriers in providing access to PrEP at the time and tried to eliminate as many of them as possible: cost, in-person visits, labs, discretion and use technology to eliminate them. We started at Palm Springs Pride in 2018 and my goal was to sign up 300 people by the new year. We enrolled 375, and today, we can sign up as many as 600 people a day. Over the COVID-19 pandemic, people embraced telehealth and now we serve 350,000 patients across the United States in all 50 states, D.C., and my home Puerto Rico.
“The Abbey has been a cornerstone of the West Hollywood community for 33 years, but the party is just getting started. We’re investing in The Abbey and The Chapel in some fun ways. You’re going to see bigger events and different events. Everybody needs a little refresh and touch up as we age.”
Let’s talk about Tryst Hotels. Did you have any hotel experience before entering this field? As a destination for queer travelers—how will that experience differ from “traditional” hotels?
When I was younger, I saw the movie “The Birdcage” and since then wanted to own a hotel because of it. Years later, someone pointed out to me that it was nightclub and now I own those too. I used to live in a hotel, which is a lot more fun when you don’t own the hotel.
I was on the gay beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico and there was this parking lot on right there on the beachfront. I thought why is there a parking lot on this beautiful beach? There should be a gay beach club here. My realtor told me the hotel next to the lot was for sale. I looked up and it was called “The Tryst.” I always wanted to own a hotel and here was one for sale with my name on it! Tryst Hotels let you be your best self, even on your worst behavior. That kind of explains me. I wanted something playful, even though it’s a luxury hotel. We want you to embrace the extraordinary, one Tryst at a time. The Tryst San Juan is open now, but will be all new in 2025 after some major renovations. The Tryst in Puerto Vallarta is taking reservations now for check-ins starting in September.
The “gay” hotels I’ve seen, even when they are nice, are not always luxurious or they don’t have a personality. Tryst Hotels are true five-star properties that provide all the luxurious amenities, discretion and services gay-men want in the world’s top LGBTQ+ travel destinations. We are eco-conscious and support the local communities and minority owned businesses.
We have poolside glamour and brunchtime drama every weekend. There are rooftop pool parties with world class DJs spinning and globally known drag queens performing at our Drag Brunches.
The Tryst is a gay hotel, but everyone is welcome. The only thing straight are the martinis.
What is the value of an inclusive resort or travel space?
Not all hotels are welcoming and even the ones that are, might not fully embrace that scene and crowd. Even in resorts claiming to be inclusive, my boyfriends and I will still get side-eye from sharing one room, or sometimes it’s our’ swimsuits at the pool. These are a true five-star properties that provide all the luxurious amenities, discretion and services gay-men want in the world’s top LGBTQ+ travel destinations. Moreover, we are eco-conscious and support the local communities by leveraging locally and minority owned businesses.
And finally—The Abbey / The Chapel here in West Hollywood. I noticed a photo with you on your Insta—with the sign “no more bachelorette parties” [lol, great!] What other changes are you planning?
The Abbey has been a cornerstone of the West Hollywood community for 33 years, but the party is just getting started. We’re investing in The Abbey and The Chapel in some fun ways. You’re going to see bigger events and different events. Everybody needs a little refresh and touch up as we age. David renovated every few years. It’s time for an update. Stay tuned and follow @theabbeyweho on Instagram to join the party.
