Brad Nitz partners with Oliver Alpuche and opens KISO, a new gay bar in downtown Los Angeles
BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY ZIV SADE
As many of you already know Oliver Alpuche’s Redline—the Downtown LA gay bay that hosted some of the biggest names in the drag world, including Ongina and Cornbread—has closed.
However, there’s a new kid in town to make up for that loss. Alpuche has partnered up with Brad Nitz, a former bartender at Redline, to open another venue in DTLA. The establishment, which opens next month, is called KISO. The venue, located at 107 W 4th St., used to be home to Score, the first ever gay bar in downtown Los Angeles.
In an interview with THE FIGHT, Nitz, originally from Illinois, says that “since I started bartending 16 years ago, I always thought about opening a bar/club. Recently, the Hotel Barclay building was taken over by AHF and they put the space on the market to lease. It seemed like the perfect place to take the next step and open my own place! It has a great layout, cool history and is near other community venues! It was too perfect to pass up.”
Nitz says that many folks he’s met downtown remember Score and share fond memories they had there.
“We’re committed to creating a space that resonates with everyone, especially by celebrating and supporting our local community”
“After Score had closed, the space became Bar 107,” reveals Nitz. “I’m told this was also a very popular and successful bar. Because of this history, there is a lot of buzz and anticipation for the doors to open again. I hope everyone enjoys KISO just as much as they did the past bars and events held in the space.”
KISO, explains Nitz, is comprised of three rooms.
“The first room you enter will be a more conversation friendly atmosphere with mood lighting, a craft cocktail bar, plenty of seating, cozy neutral colors accented by a variety of happy live plants. The middle room will have more of a lounge-type vibe with comfortable seating and dimmer lighting. And in the back room there’s a big dance floor and entertainment area where we’ll host events and shows.”
Regarding the layout and design of KISO—Nitz reveals that “there are preserved elements of the original building throughout the venue as well as some fresh design elements we’ve added… It reminds me of an east coast place in a lot of ways. Although, the design we are putting into it is inspired by southern California and many of the cultures that you can find around Los Angeles. We’re committed to creating a space that resonates with everyone, especially by celebrating and supporting our local community.”
For more news and updates about KISO, follow them on Instagram @KisoLosAngeles and visit KisoLosAngeles.com.
