Savvy downtown denizens who have taken a stroll down 6th Street near South Main Street recently may have noticed a familiar-looking black door leading to the basement of a residential loft building.
"This is an exact replica of the 10 Downing door," said London-born bar owner Ashley Joyce, referring to the official residence of the British prime minister at 10 Downing Street in London. The L.A. version, replete with brass lion head door knocker, is actually the entrance to his latest venture, the Association. "It's a little cheeky, and I can imagine this is what goes on at 10 Downing Street . . . very austere outside, and inside they're all drinking and having a laugh."
But Joyce's new lounge, which opened with little fanfare Wednesday to friends and family at 110 E. 6th St. is no joke -- nor is it a cheesy homage to England. It might just be his best Los Angeles offering: high praise indeed for the man behind some of Hollywood's most beloved and enduring low-key hangouts such as the Burgundy Room.
"This one is what we call in England a 'proper boozer,' " Joyce said inside his sleek lounge Tuesday. The dimly lighted subterranean space has a "members only" vibe and feels like a cross between West Hollywood's Crown Bar and Cedd Moses' Seven Grand.
"I come from a culture where everyone deserves to have a proper local [bar] as part of their lifestyle," he said. "I think that's beginning to happen here [downtown]," he continued between sips of a Ardbeg Scotch whisky.
Joyce and longtime partner John Lasker's timing couldn't be better. Despite a recession, this particular stretch of 6th Street looks like it will be hot this winter.
Several notable additions to the neighborhood are forthcoming, and a revamped Cole's opens to the public this weekend right next door, leading some to liken this loft-filled central part of downtown to neighborhoods such as Manhattan's East Village in the mid-1990s.
But make no mistake, the Association is not your typical trendy nightspot. Instead, Joyce hopes to offer those in the neighborhood a warm, inviting "local" they can call home. Call it an updated take on the pub, with DJs on weekends.
"Our goal is really to connect with the downtown community, so they feel we're a part of their lifestyle," Joyce said. "The bars that I do are based on the simple philosophy of looking after people and giving them a quality experience."
